The Brisbane Heat skipper says the all-out-attack strategy will be shelved with a more level-headed approach as the club seek a return to winning ways
Lynn adds icy steel to hot batting for new-look Heat
Chris Lynn has vowed to "be more accountable and take ownership" of the Brisbane Heat side as they look to rebound from a horror summer in BBL|10.
The big-hitting Heat skipper admitted he let his emotions get the better of himself last summer in his first full season as captain following Brendon McCullum's retirement, and promised a more level-headed approach in this year's KFC BBL.
The Heat blew hot and cold in BBL|09 and while they were one of four teams to finish on six wins, placed second last on the league table with a negative net run rate. Two of their wins saw them blast opposition attacks for more than 200 runs, and in another scored 119 in just eight overs, but they were also bowled out for 120 or less on three occasions.
The nadir came at the end of the season when, with a semi-final spot theirs for the taking, they lost their fourth game in five starts and were knocked out of the post-season by the last-placed Melbourne Renegades.
It was the third successive season the Heat had missed the finals, and Lynn has had enough.
"Last year I made a few decisions on heightened emotions," Lynn told reporters today.
"Basically, I just want to take a step back and make sure you take a couple of deep breaths before you make any decisions or point the finger.
"I've got to do a lot of finger pointing back at myself, being the leader of the team and one of the top order batters.
"I want to be accountable for that and I want to take ownership of that.
"By no means am I putting pressure on any individual or myself, we just want to go out there, play the game that we love and hopefully if we've done the hard work the results come our way.
"Sometimes we get caught up in playing the attacking brand of cricket. Well, how about just playing an entertaining brand of cricket, which is basically just play the game?
Chris Lynn's return to Queensland Premier Cricket was absolutely ABSURD! 👀 155 (55) for the @ToombulDCC no.3! 👏 @lynny50 🎥 | @qldcricket x @frogboxlive pic.twitter.com/fKdS4G5hGi— MyCricket (@MyCricketAus) November 30, 2020
"If it means take a run a ball, we take a run a ball. If it means chasing 200 then you're going to see the Brisbane Heat do what we normally do.
"I'm going to take more ownership, hopefully ice a couple of games and lead the boys into a finals series.
"From there, anything can happen. But first and foremost, let's get the first week underway and jell as a unit."
The Heat have had a high turnover of playing personnel this winter, with seven players from last summer's roster finding new clubs, while South Africa's AB de Villiers opted against returning due to the birth of his third child.
Matthew Renshaw, Ben Cutting and James Pattinson are among the Heat players to have moved on to new clubs this summer, and the club has added a handful of young quicks in Xavier Bartlett, James Bazley, Matt Willans, while allrounder Jack Wildermuth and batsman Tom Cooper have joined form the Renegades.
The Heat also secured the services of Morne Morkel, the former South Africa international, who is now registered as an Australian domestic player.
Big-hitting England opener Tom Banton returns, while Lynn said he's especially keen to see what Dan Lawrence can bring, having spied the Englishman at the T10 tournament in the UAE last year.
Despite saying he'd be taking a more considered approach to his leadership, nothing much seems to have changed with Lynn's batting style after he belted 154 from just 55 balls in Brisbane's Premier Cricket competition last weekend.
Having spent 14 days in hotel quarantine after an IPL campaign with the Mumbai Indians where he didn't play a single match, the dominant knock – whichh included 20 sixes – was a perfect warm-up for the Heat's tournament opener in Canberra against the Melbourne Stars on December 11.
"Anything feels better than two weeks' hotel quarantine, that's for sure," Lynn said.
"Obviously to hit a couple out of the middle was very pleasing, but I still think I've got plenty of room in the tank for improvement."
Brisbane Heat BBL|10 squad: Tom Banton (England), Xavier Bartlett, James Bazley, Max Bryant, Joe Burns, Tom Cooper, Sam Heazlett, Lewis Gregory (England), Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Dan Lawrence (England), Ben Laughlin, Chris Lynn (c), Morne Morkel, Jimmy Peirson, Mark Steketee, Mitch Swepson, Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan), Jack Wildermuth, Matt Willans