SEDGER‘S THE MAN YOUNG THUNDER STAR HUNTER SMASHES A FIFTY PAGE 45

Heat blaster Lynn is out of World Cup race New recruit backed to fill the gap left by Lowe’s move south

CRICKET CHRIS Lynn’s days as an Australian cricketer might be over after effectively pulling himself out of the World Cup race.

The Cairns Post understands that Lynn is no longer under consideration by selectors for the World Cup defence in the UK starting in June, following a frank and stark conversation between the Big Bash star and the Cricket Australia hierarchy about where he realistically stood in the 50over reckoning.

In the end, it seems Lynn felt he couldn’t risk the $1.86 million contract he stands to earn in the Indian Premier League, by pushing his worrying chronic shoulder injury through a potential selection ordeal that in any case only offered an outside hope of forcing his way back into the Australian team.

Of course, Lynn will still be a chance of playing Twenty20 cricket for Australia ahead of next year’s bumper World Cup on home soil. But despite his obvious talent, he is virtually out of the running to ever represent his country again in the more taxing 50-over format.

This time last year, all the indications from behind the scenes were that Lynn was Australia’s preferred No.3 as they looked into the crystal ball with their long-term World Cup planning. Key figures felt his unique power and game-changing RUGBY LEAGUE NORTHERN Pride recruit Hugh Sedger has been anointed South Sydney-bound Ethan Lowe’s successor.

Souths yesterday formally announced it had snared the former North Queensland Cowboys premiership-winner on a one-year deal.

Lowe, who played 22 games for the Pride in 2014 and 2018, was expected to again feature for the Intrust Super Cup team this season. Instead, he will wear the cardinal and myrtle of South Sydney in Saturday’s Charity Shield at Mudgee.

Pride coach Ty Williams said Lowe’s departure would not overly affect his side, with Sedger, who joined the club from Valleys Roosters in Toowoomba, described as a player similar in style to Lowe.

Sedger impressed Williams in last week’s 28-10 trial win against Townsville and is in line for a start in next week’s season opener against Redcliffe Dolphins. FULL COVERAGE ON PAGE 46

www.cairnspost.com.au SIDELINED: Brisbane Heat star Chris Lynn’s dream of playing for Australia at the World Cup appears over. He may have already played for his country for the last time. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt) ability at the top of the order could help Australia come up to speed with England, whose big-hitting engine room had revolutionised ODI batting strategy.A lot has changed in Australian cricket since then, however, after three ODIs against South Africa back in November, it became clear just how far Lynn was off the pace in the 50-over form.Lynn couldn’t dive and couldn’t throw, leaving him as a potential passenger in the field in a high-stakes knockout match.Australia was prepared to allow his supreme batting talents to cancel out his liability in the field, but against South Africa Lynn was exposed by quality fast bowling and lacked the commanding presence he holds at the crease in the T20 arena.Glenn Maxwell is clearly Australia’s No.1 fireworks option.Lynn has a close relationship with fellow Queenslander and national selector Trevor Hohns, and when discussions took place with CA management it seems all parties were – reluctantly – on the same page about his realistic chances of making the World Cup.There might only have been a slim chance of Lynn being picked for this ODI tour of India, but if injury or form dictated a change in thinking on Lynn, Australia needed to know if he was all in.The lifetime financial security offered by his IPL deal understandably made Lynn nervous about risking another mishap in the 50-over game.