After a poor campaign in the Big Bash League (BBL) 11, Brisbane Heat on Wednesday announced to part its ways with the league’s leading run-scorer Chris Lynn after a long period of 11 years.
On Wednesday, Heat confirmed that a new deal will not be offered to the 32-year-old after their poor campaign in BBL 11 which saw them finishing at the seventh spot.
Notably, Lynn had stepped down as captain of the side well in advance of the 2021-22 edition of BBL. After Lynn, Jimmy Peirson was appointed as the skipper of Brisbane Heat.
Commenting on the decision, Queensland Cricket and Brisbane Heat CEO Terry Svenson said the call was made after all parties had taken a suitable period to reflect on their options following the end of the last season.
“It’s not a decision that has come easily to the Heat by any means Chris Lynn and his feats have made an indelible impression on the club, and his efforts over more than a decade can rightly be said to have had an enormously positive effect on cricket. We should gratefully acknowledge the influence he has had on a generation of kids who have grown up thrilled by his batting exploits,” he expressed.
“His appearance in a teal jumper each year would no doubt be linked by many households to the onset of their holidays, with the BBL being such an integral part of summer holidays. The Heat wish him nothing but the best for the future as he transitions into another phase of his career and thank him wholeheartedly for his commitment to the game in Queensland,” Svenson added.
On the other hand, Queensland Cricket’s Recruitment and Retention Committee Chair Ian Healy said that the decision marked the start of the next stage of the club’s evolution.
“Chris Lynn will be missed by thousands, however, the decision we have made as a club is about building on the legacy that he leaves as a foundation player, captain and ambassador for the Heat. We thank Heat members, fans, corporate partners and sponsors for their wholehearted support of ‘Lynny’ and recognising his great performances over the past 11 seasons,” Healy said.
“He holds a very special place in our history,” added the former Test great.
Significantly, Lynn was the face of the franchise over the years and has led the side 50 times.
Overall in the Australian domestic T20 league, Lynn featured in 102 games for the Heat and is BBL’s leading run-getter with more than 3000 runs. However, in the previous season, Lynn could only manage to score 215 runs from 12 games.
Notably, Lynn was the fourth player to reach 100 BBL games, and the first to play all 100 for the one club. He is also the all-time record-holder of the most sixes in the league’s history, with replays of the night he hit a six out of the Gabba among the most viewed pieces of BBL footage ever.