Quantcast

I haven't fired a proper shot yet: Lynn

A costly dropped catch could prove a turning point for the Brisbane Heat's master blaster in BBL|07

It was the innings that almost didn't happen.

Chris Lynn, promoted to opener for the Brisbane Heat's pursuit of 142 at the MCG, had faced two deliveries from James Faulkner without scoring before he bunted the third to John Hastings at mid-off.

In form Lynn finishes unbeaten for Heat

But the Melbourne Stars skipper fumbled it what should have been a simple catch – three times, in fact – before dropping it, handing Lynn a lifeline.

And with it, a chance to deliver on what's been a frustrating start to KFC BBL|07 for the big-hitting Queenslander.

On the comeback trail from shoulder surgery, he missed the Heat's first two matches with a hamstring complaint before blasting 25 from nine deliveries in Brisbane's home fixture against the Stars.

Then on New Year's Eve, he copped a questionable caught behind call third ball to depart without scoring.

But having received a second chance at the MCG, Lynn made the most of it. He plugged his way to 12 from 19 balls before clearing the ropes for the first time, but picked up the pace from there.


He brought up his half-century from 40 balls – incredibly, his slowest ever Big Bash fifty – and finished unbeaten on 63 (46) as his team romped to a nine-wicket win with 5.2 overs to spare.

"I actually said to 'Baz' (Brendon McCullum), 'That (dropped catch) could be the chance I need to get going'," Lynn told cricket.com.au after play on Tuesday.

"Hopefully it is and hopefully I can just build on this momentum now throughout the tournament.

"I still don't think I've fired a proper shot yet, I've still got plenty left in the tank.

"I felt (my innings) was quite ugly tonight, but I found a way to be not out at the end and I slowly found my feet out there.

"My first probably 20 balls weren't pretty. But it was some important time in the middle for me having only faced 12 balls in the tournament before tonight's game."

Tuesday's knock also marked the first proper BBL workout for Lynn's troublesome shoulder.

The minutes after he completed Brisbane's third win of BBL|07 were too soon for him to properly gauge how the joint handled the workload, but he was optimistic it would pull up fine.

"It feels quite good, I could probably tell you more tomorrow morning," he said.

"I played nine holes of golf this morning to loosen up and it was feeling fine.

"I'm slowly getting there each game and not feeling as apprehensive and having that confidence which is the main thing."

McCullum takes a liking to Stars bowlers

If Lynn's innings was scratchy and slower to build, the performance of his Bash Brother in arms at the other end was in stark contrast.

Brendon McCullum cleared the ropes with a booming six back over the head of Michael Beer to start the fourth over and never looked back as he smoked his way to 61 from 30 deliveries, including three maximums, before holing out in the 11th over.

Together, the Bash Bros put on 101 for the first wicket, taking the life out of the Stars' bowling attack and delighting an MCG crowd who found it hard to be troubled by the treatment being handed down to the home team, given the entertainment being provided by the Brisbane pair.

Lynn explained McCullum's decision to promote his big-hitting counterpart to the top of the order ahead of Jimmy Pierson was aimed at taking pressure off the 25-year-old, who scored 1, 12, 43 and 7 in the Heat's first four matches.

"We just felt Jimmy might have needed a bit of a break up there, a bit of a change-up," Lynn said.

"He's not batting terrible but a breath of fresh air really, take the pressure off him and myself as a senior player can step up into that role and it paid dividends tonight.

"Jimmy will be there in the future no doubt but just for now we are changing it up a little bit."

The Heat next meet the undefeated Perth Scorchers at the Gabba on Friday night.

Image Id: 41E8FEDBE459481483607C34283E7732