Chris Lynn's shock move against Australia in $700,000 bombshell
Chris Lynn looks to have turned his back on the BBL after being cut loose by the Brisbane Heat earlier this year, signing on to play in the new UAE T20 league this summer.
Emirates Cricket announced on Monday that 54 international players had agreed to take part in the inaugural International League T20, which kicks off in January and will run concurrently with the BBL.
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Lynn, who was dumped by the Brisbane Heat earlier this year, is the only Australian player on the list.
A number of BBL draft nominees were also named, meaning they will only play in the first half of the Australian competition before flying out in early January for the UAE, where the teams are now owned by cashed-up Indian Premier League franchises.
The new league in the UAE will reportedly offer players up to $700,000 for the five-week tournament.
Australian officials have long expected that would be the case with draft players and planned around it, with the exodus likely to come at the same time Test stars return to the BBL.
But it is the inclusion of Lynn in the UAE's list that does not sit comfortably with Cricket Australia.
Under ICC rules, every player competing in an overseas T20 franchise league requires a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from their home board in order to feature.
While Lynn no longer holds a national or state contract, Australia would still be considered his home base by the ICC.
CA officials had yet to receive a request for such a certificate for Lynn and made it clear there is no guarantee that one would be granted.
"Cricket Australia has not received any applications for NOCs pertaining to a player's participation in any overseas competitions for the upcoming season," a CA spokesperson said on Tuesday.
"Our guiding principle remains the prioritisation and protection of Australia's domestic summer of cricket and the interests of the game overall."
BBL draft nominees on the UAE list of incoming players included Alex Hales, Sandeep Lamichhane, Mujeeb Ul Rahman, Evin Lewis, Colin Munro, James Vince and Dan Lawrence.
Despite being the club's highest-ever run-scorer, the Heat decided not to renew Lynn's contract for the 2022/23 season.
Lynn has played 18 T20 internationals for Australia, as well as four one-day internationals, however his form has suffered a dramatic dip in recent years.
He was reportedly in talks to join the Adelaide Strikers, but the franchise was unwilling to match the riches on offer in the UAE.
The Queenslander spent 11 years with the Heat in the BBL and has played for numerous T20 franchises in India, Pakistan, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Canada, plus the English Hundred competition last year.
The 32-year-old has scored more than 6000 runs at T20 level, with two centuries and 40 fifties.
Some of the big names missing here will be playing in South Africa instead. The BBL needs the best Aust players more than ever
— Daniel Brettig 🏏 (@danbrettig) August 8, 2022
Should be fun as but also terrifying for the status quo
— Ryan Buckland (@RyanBuckland7) August 8, 2022
Once again, this is further proof that CA have not been able to read the room.
Sacrificing limited over forms of the game to promote Test Cricket will eventually eat away at revenue, and other income.
Ignorance has been a CA staple for 20 years, can’t bat can’t bowl!— Daniel Mercer (@Sir_Merc) August 9, 2022
BREAKING: Some big names have signed up for the UAE's inaugural ILT20 🤩
🏴 Moeen Ali
🇯🇲 Andre Russell
🇱🇰 Wanindu Hasiranga
🇹🇹 Sunil Narine
🇳🇵 Sandeep Lamichhane
🇦🇺 Chris Lynn
The list goes on...@Sandeep25— Yubaraj Pokharel (@Yubaraj_25) August 8, 2022
Sad to see Our Chris Lynn like this
Was wonderful for #KKR too.#KKRHaiTaiyaar https://t.co/3sA4AUMTfO— ITSAYUSH PATNAIK (@SRKSGLASSES) May 11, 2022
Sad to see this.
If you’re playing word association and someone says “Brisbane Heat” the first answer is always Chris Lynn.
Hope we still see him in the @BBL https://t.co/CTQatABO7g— Michelle Cooling (@shell_cooling) May 11, 2022
David Warner looks to be staying in Australia
One name that is missing from the UAE league's announcement is David Warner, with Cricket Australia seemingly convincing the veteran opener not to jump ship.
According to The Australian, Warner has been offered a record-breaking contract to play in the BBL after flagging his interest in playing in the UAE instead.
Warner's wife Candice had previously suggested he would never play in the BBL again because of the length of the tournament and the fact he's banned from holding a leadership position with any team in Australian cricket.
“I am very hopeful David will play BBL and I am hopeful that all of our best Australian cricketers will play in it,” Australian Cricketers‘ Association chief executive Todd Greenberg said on the Cricket Et Cetera podcast this week.
“There’s a variety of reasons why. There’s absolutely no doubt that someone like David and others of his ilk could earn more in the coming Australian summer if they were to ply their trade overseas.
"But there’s a much broader discussion and a bigger picture we are trying to solve here and that’s the discussion I am having with several of our players this week.”
with AAP
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