Chris Lynn’s Big Bash warning for Billy Stanlake
Heat captain Chris Lynn has thrown down the gauntlet to Adelaide Strikers star Billy Stanlake, warning the towering Queensland quick he is “in for a show” at the Gabba.
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Heat captain Chris Lynn has thrown down the gauntlet to Adelaide Strikers star Billy Stanlake, warning the towering Queensland quick he is “in for a show” at the Gabba on Wednesday night.
Lynn will kick off his return to the Brisbane captaincy in Wednesday’s Big Bash League tournament opener against the reigning champions.
There will be a heavy Queensland flavour in the Strikers line-up with Sunshine State products Michael Neser, Ben Laughlin and Stanlake wearing blue.
Towering “Big Billy” has developed into a world class white-ball bowler, with his 150kmh thunderbolts earning him Australian one-day international and Twenty20 honours.
But Lynn has warned the 204cm quick to expect a tough return to the Gabba against Brisbane’s top order blasters.
Lynn, Kiwi gun Brendon McCullum and debutant Max Bryant are fans of facing fast bowling and Lynn said he wanted to take on Stanlake.
“Billy is in for a show,” he said.
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“Myself, Baz (McCullum) and Maxy like the pace on the ball.
“It’s going to be an exciting contest and hopefully the ball is flying around the park.
“They are champions for a reason. We’re going to have to hit the ground running.”
Heat fans will get their first glimpse of talented Gold Coast teenager Bryant when he opens the batting, likely alongside McCullum.
Dubbed the “Baby Bash Brother”, the 19-year-old Bryant is renowned for clearing the ropes, but Lynn urged him to keep calm in his BBL debut.
“He is exciting and gives the ball a good whack,” Lynn said.
“I just want him to keep calm. He’s got to understand the reason he plays the game is to have fun.
“He needs to keep things very simple like Brendon and myself.
“If he can follow suit and we ride the wave of each other’s success ... not all three of us will come off in the first game.”
The Strikers took out last summer’s tournament and the Heat will get a gauge of where their highly-rated squad is at to begin the tournament.
Strikers spinner Rashid Khan took 18 wickets last summer and Lynn said his battle with fellow Afghan spinner Mujeed Ur Rahman was tantalising.
“They’ve had success against us so we’re going to try and throw a punch back at them,” he said.
“The battle of the Afghanistan blokes as well is going to be good fun.”
The Heat are expecting a crowd of about 27,000 for the first match of the summer, with plenty of tickets remaining for the season-opener.
Brisbane has never reached a 30,000-strong crowd in a pre-Christmas game before, but is hopeful of selling out their remaining four matches at the Gabba in the new year.
BRISBANE HEAT SQUAD
Chris Lynn (c), Brendon McCullum, Max Bryant, Joe Burns, Ben Cutting, Sam Heazlett, James Pattinson, Brendan Doggett, Mitch Swepson, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Jimmy Peirson, Mark Steketee, Josh Lalor.
BRISBANE HEAT V ADELAIDE STRIKERS
The Gabba, 6.15pm
Live on Fox Cricket, Channel 7
Ladbrokes odds:
Brisbane $1.80
Adelaide $2.00
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Originally published as Chris Lynn’s Big Bash warning for Billy Stanlake
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