Chris Lynn has been earmarked for an international recall by Ricky Ponting after helping Brisbane Heat keep their BBL finals hopes alive at the Gabba on Sunday night.
Heat skipper Lynn thrashed a 32-ball 75 to help Brisbane eclipse Sydney Thunder’s 5-186 with three balls to spare and notch their season’s maiden win in front of 27,507 drenched fans.
Brisbane reached 4-189 with Ben Cutting 22 not out despite rain falling throughout their innings.
Lynn appears a lock for March’s Twenty20 World Cup in India after backing up his last start 101 against Hobart.
He tops the BBL run scorers for this season with 287 at 95.66.
He also became the fourth batsman to shatter the 1000-run BBL barrier with his sparkling innings.
Former Australian captain Ponting also believed Lynn had done enough to earn a call-up for the five-day one-day international series against India starting in Perth on January 12.
“That’s a nice innings before a one day team is named,” Ponting said on Network Ten on Sunday night.
Dead-last Brisbane must still win their remaining three games to remain a mathematical playoff hope.
But no one would rule out their chances with Lynn in their side.
Showers fell steadily throughout the Heat innings but it also rained sixes thanks to Lynn.
He smacked six sixes and six fours in his blistering knock that pushed him past the 50 run mark for the third straight BBL innings.
At one stage he smashed 24 off one Gurinder Sandhu over.
The steady rain ensured slippery conditions which may have contributed to Lynn being dropped on 57 and 66.
He was eventually caught on the boundary off Andre Russell (2-28) trying to hit the winning six.
Brisbane’s run chase was set up by a 72-run opening stand by Lendl Simmons (34 off 25) and Jimmy Peirson (40).
South African great Jacques Kallis did not field or bowl for Sydney Thunder due to a back complaint.
Earlier, veteran Mike Hussey helped steer Sydney Thunder to 5-186 after the visitors were sent into bat.
The 40-year-old Thunder skipper stroked a 43-ball 56 – his third half century of the BBL campaign.
Hussey shared a 97-run third wicket stand with former Australian Test teammate Shane Watson (46 off 31).
Hussey (two four, two sixes) proved the perfect foil for the aggressive Watson who bludgeoned five sixes in his impressive knock after Sydney lost 2-1 to slump to 2-36.
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