BIG HITTING RETURN
Heat to manage Chris Lynn’s enthusiasm for his own good
BRISBANE Heat will take measures to save Chris Lynn from his own competitive instincts if, as expected, he returns at the Gabba tonight.
The power-hitting drawcard has been pencilled in to face Sydney Thunder in front of what is likely to be a sellout crowd for the Heat’s second home Big Bash League match of the summer.
Lynn is set to return from shoulder surgery and a late hamstring twinge into a line-up which may also feature the return of Joe Burns (groin strain). Lynn’s career has been threatened by a series of injuries to his left shoulder.
Several have occurred during training as he finds it hard to go at anything less than full throttle.
The Heat will try and place him in fielding positions where the risk of an accident diving or throwing is minimised and have reminded Lynn of the need to occasionally throttle down.
“It is probably down to Chris to manage himself,’’ Heat coach Dan Vettori said.
“The times he has got in trouble in the past he has been so committed that he has gone too hard.
He may have to pull back a bit and realise he cannot go at that top-end speed.
“It is on him to manage it as much as possible. We just have to keep reminding him of it.
“We don’t want him sprinting around at deep square like he did in the past.
“It’s going to be one of those things where he has to really manage it and find some spots which are not too high in intensity.”
Lynn, who throws lefthanded, has worked with baseball coaches during his time out to improve his right-handed throwing.
It is not expected Lynn will have to make any changes in his rampaging batting, which has made him one of the feared enforcers of world cricket.
“He has been uninhibited in his shot-making in the nets,’’ Vettori said.
The coach has been impressed by Pakistani leg-spinner Shadab Khan, 19, who has taken four wickets in two games for the Heat.
“Brendon McCullum had played with him and said you ask him to do anything and he would do it with a big smile on his face,’’ Vettori said.
HE MAY HAVE TO PULL BACK A BIT AND REALISE HE CANNOT GO AT THAT TOP-END SPEED DAN VETTORI, HEAT COACH