Lynn slips into IPL history

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Chris Lynn became an overnight internet sensation with a spectacular leaping catch on the boundary that saved the match for the Kolkota Knight Riders.

While those on social media proclaim it "the greatest catch ever" and revel in the 'Lynnsanity' – riffing on a catchphrase that swept New York when a basketballer named Jeremy Lin rose to prominence, the Brisbane Heat star was just relieved he hasn't wound up looking like a goose.

Lynn woke up yesterday to a social media storm, but was more excited to discover his Dubai hotel was broadcasting NRL games, the Brisbane boy's preferred way to spend Anzac Day.

He knows the catch should have been a regulation chance, a bread-and-butter opportunity for a decent fielder on the rope. But this was the third last ball of the Royal Challengers Bangalore innings, it was hit by AB de Villiers, and its flat trajectory would have taken it over the rope for a match-winning six without intervention.

"I fell over," Lynn admitted to cricket.com.au today. "The ball was hit probably 10 metres to my left and I overran it a little bit. As I tried to stop, I slipped and then had to try and recover.

"I didn't want to end up looking pretty silly. Sometimes they stick and sometimes they don't."

Stick it did, Lynn's hands also grasping victory for Kolkata.

Quick Single: Kolkata v RCB match report

"I lost sight of it for a fraction of a second (when slipping), that's why I rose up to my knee, tried to keep my head still and start tracking the ball again," said Lynn.

"I knew I had a bit of space to the rope, I thought it was a few metres, I didn't realise it was that close."

The catch is a highlight reel moment that could so easily have been blooper. Lynn's composure to recover his balance and his athleticism to pull off the high, twisting, arching grab makes it an instant classic.

"When you take one like that, you're just worried that you've kind of messed up a pretty regulation catch," said Lynn. "I was just full of relief that it was still out."

But it's not the first time Lynn has pulled off a ripper catch. In fact, two have come in consecutive games for the 24-year-old Queenslander.

Playing for the XXXX Bulls in their final Bupa Sheffield Shield game of the season, against the Victorian Bushrangers at the MCG in March, Peter Handscomb tried to loft Cam Boyce down the ground. Running to his left at mid-on, Lynn leapt with his right hand to pull in a very tidy-one handed grab.

"It's just fortunate that one stuck, too," said Lynn. "Fielding is what you do most in the game when you're not a bowler so you've got to work hard at it.

"You're not getting hit perfect catches all the time in a match so you have to try and work hard in practice."

Even without the catch, Lynn's debut game for the Knight Riders would have been a career highlight for the 24-year-old. An 80 run partnership with South Africa legend Jacques Kallis pushed KKR to their winning total, and Lynn launched the first ball he received from Muttia Muralitharan for six.

That cultured slog went sailing over the square-leg boundary and crashing into the Sri Lanka spinner's smiling image beaming out from the big screen scoreboard. The real-life Murali wore a far less pleased expression 22 yards away.

Lynn made his international debut in Australia's Twenty20 side against England in January. He blasted three sixes in a 19-ball 33 on debut but missed out on selection to the ill-fated World T20 campaign.

"I want to get back into that side," states Lynn, a steely determination in his voice replacing the modest nonchalance that accompanied talk of his fielding exploits.

"It's a strong list of players so I've just got to keep scoring runs and keep knocking on the door.

"Once I'm there hopefully I can progress through the ranks into all the other formats. I 100% want to play for Australia in all three forms."

Unlike the basketball version of Linsanity, which burnt bright but faded quickly like magnesium, plan on hearing a lot more from Queensland's Chris Lynn.

Quick Single: Watch highlights of Lynn's batting