Chris Lynn overlooked for national squad but gets PM's XI opportunity
Chris Lynn missed the cut for Australia’s 14-man squad to face Sri Lanka and Pakistan in back-to-back T20 International series but he will still play Sri Lanka this summer. The KKR player has been named in the Prime Minister’s XI to play Sri Lanka on October 24 at the Manuka Oval.
Chris Lynn missed the cut for Australia’s 14-man squad to face Sri Lanka and Pakistan in back-to-back T20 International series but he will still play Sri Lanka this summer. The Brisbane Heat and Queensland star has been named in the Prime Minister’s XI to play Sri Lanka on October 24 at the Manuka Oval, opening an avenue for him to force his way back into national T20 squad.
Australia’s selectors have been brutal with their 14-man squad for the upcoming series as D'Arcy Short and all-rounder Marcus Stoinis have also been omitted from the squad apart from Lynn. Although a regular fixture in the nets in Brisbane of late, Lynn has not played cricket since August in the Global T20 Canada and his last official T20 was in May in the Indian Premier League. He also opted out of this year's Marsh One-Day Cup 50-over competition with Queensland.
The right-hander has failed to make the most of his opportunities in the past, he averages 19.40 across 18 T20Is. However, his lack of recent match practice was something Cricket Australia's National Selector Trevor Hohns cited today.
"We haven't considered him at the moment. Chris isn't playing any cricket locally or within Australia. Sure, he's been travelling the world playing T20 cricket. If he performs well in the upcoming Big Bash, of course we can revisit that. I haven't spoken to Chris at all. To be honest, I don't even know if he's in the country," Hohns told reporters in Brisbane.
Lynn has not played for Australia since last November but still is one of their most explosive white-ball cricketers as he boasts a T20 career record of 4,425 runs at a strike rate of 141.96. Lynn was one of five new additions to the squad revealed on Tuesday, alongside New South Wales (NSW) young gun Jason Sangha, leg-spinners Fawad Ahmed and rising NSW player Daniel Fallins, and local right-arm fast bowler Djali Bloomfield. The team will be co-captained by Peter Siddle and Dan Christian.
"There is an excellent mixture of experience and youth among this group. We anticipate that emerging players such as Djali Bloomfield, Daniel Fallins and Jason Sangha will take great benefit from appearing alongside the likes of Chris Lynn and Fawad Ahmed," said CA's National Talent and Pathway Manager, Graham Manou, to cricket.com.au.
"The squad has been selected with attacking, positive cricket in mind. We're confident these players will produce that while remaining true to the traditions and values of the Prime Minister's XI."