Big hitter rapt with call-up out of the blue

CHRIS LYNN has taken a giant step into the Australian 50-over side but now must take some smaller, cautious ones to see whether his body is ready for a challenge he never planned for.

Batting bruiser Lynn has been thrust back into the 50over team, controversially at the expense of Glenn Maxwell, after just 57 balls in three Big Bash innings that have featured scores of 25, 0 and 63 not out.

Lynn’s promotion means the Heat are likely to have him for perhaps just two more games, including tomorrow night’s match against the Scorchers at the Gabba, before he joins the Australian squad.

Brilliant though he had been, Lynn is yet to reach full fitness from off-season shoulder surgery and a hamstring twinge and admits he is “just scraping through’’ Twenty20 games.

The cavalier move by the selectors for the five-match series against England caught Lynn off guard but he is excited to be back.

“It has come earlier than expected – I kind of wrote my chances of playing for Australia off this season due to the shoulder reconstruction,’’ Lynn said.

“To get the call-up again is very exciting. Physically I am just scraping through the 20over format and we will find out whether I can play a oneday game.

“I am building my confidence nicely and being less apprehensive with the body but you need to experience that time on your feet to know what my body is capable of.’’

After hitting 63 in his promotion to opener against the Melbourne Stars on Tuesday, Lynn is likely to be a mainstay at the top of the order for the Heat and Australia may be tempted to follow suit.

“I absolutely love opening the batting,” he said.