Footy grounding puts Lynn in league of his own
TWENTY20 cricket gun Chris Lynn believes rugby league is the secret behind his sixhitting superpower.
Lynn struck his best international score at the SCG last Saturday, guiding Australia to a seven-wicket win against New Zealand with a comfortable 44 off 33 balls.
The Brisbane Heat star will bat at No.3 in tonight’s T20 clash against England in Hobart and is steadily finding form following an injury-interrupted summer.
Lynn, 27, has developed into one of the world’s most exciting white ball batsmen, launching 174 sixes in 98 T20 franchise matches.
And the big NRL fan puts his talent down to a youth spent playing footy alongside the likes of Broncos hooker Andrew McCullough.
“I was a niggly little halfback for Norths Devils and Samford Stags,” Lynn said.
“I went to a few Broncos camps. I had a scholarship with them for one or two years but I got injured and had a knee reconstruction.
“I was getting bashed at training because they were so big.
“But at cricket training I could have a smile on my face because I knew I didn’t have to tackle someone that looked like Petero Civoniceva.
“I was the Queensland under-12s rugby league and cricket captain of both teams.
“Andrew McCullough was in both teams. In the league side we had Macca, Ben Hunt, Lama Tasi, James O’Connor, Dunamis Lui and Gerard Beale.
“We had a fair bunch. I played junior footy with Jharal Yow Yeh.”
Captaining Queensland’s under-12 team proves he was a genuine league talent and those years have helped him on the cricket pitch.
“I grew up playing a fair bit of rugby league so my core strength is half decent,” he said. “That’s where your drives comes from, your legs and core strength.
“That’s where the power comes from. I used a heavier bat as a kid. That’s paying dividends now.”
A hamstring injury is expected to keep Aaron Finch sidelined against England tonight, meaning Australia will retain their explosive top four of skipper David Warner, Big Bash player of the tournament D’Arcy Short, Lynn and a revitalised Glenn Maxwell.