BBL: Chris Lynn to turn up the Heat against the Adelaide Strikers

Chris Lynn plans to respond to his latest omission from Australia’s T20 team by leading the Heat to victory over the Strikers.

Brisbane Heat skipper Chris Lynn is ready to take on the Adelaide Strikers. Picture Lachie Millard

Chris Lynn knows the best way to respond to his latest snubbing from national selectors – a match-winning innings for Brisbane Heat in Friday night’s do-or-die BBL finals clash against the Adelaide Strikers at the Gabba.

Despite being the third highest scorer in this season’s competition with 420 runs from 10 matches at an average of 42 and a strike rate of 157.3, Lynn has again been overlooked for national duty, this time for Australia’s T20 tour of New Zealand in February-March.

Lynn, 30, played the most recent of his 18 T20 internationals on November 25, 2018 in Australia’s six-wicket loss to India in Sydney.

“I’ve just got to try to keep putting my hands up with heaps of runs,” said the Heat captain, who has made five half-centuries in this tournament, with a top score of 69.

“I’ve found a way to get to 50 and all of a sudden found a way to get out straight after 50, so it’s be nice to turn one of those into a really big score that’s a match-winning score.

“I know myself what I need to do (to get back in the Australian team) – it’s not rocket science. But again, whatever I say, is never the right thing, so I think I might leave that one to the side.

“In terms of that outside stuff, I can’t control any of that. I can by scoring runs.”

🗣️ "The boys are hungry, I'd love for it to be a sell-out!" - @lynny50 #BBLFinals #BringtheHEAT #BBL10 pic.twitter.com/s3u6xf6iIx

— Brisbane Heat (@HeatBBL) January 28, 2021

Lynn’s runs at the top of the order have been crucial for a Heat side that endured a mixed regular season that finished with wins over the Melbourne Renegades and the Perth Scorchers to secure fourth spot and a finals berth.

“Something we’ve improved on from last year is scratching and clawing our ways to defendable totals, rather than be one or two wickets down and have a trainwreck collapse,” he said.

“I’m really proud of the guys in that sense but it’s finals for a reason – it does separate the boys from the men.

“Hopefully we can just go out there, play the (right) brand of cricket, be in the moment and hopefully our talent takes over.

“The boys are hungry now to go a new level in finals, so hopefully we just remain calm and try to execute as best we can.

“Regardless of the result (against the Strikers), I think we’ve had an outstanding season, so I just want to give the boys that opportunity to entertain.”