Chris Lynn has agreed a fresh one-year deal with Adelaide Strikers and, for the first time since shifting south, the league’s leading run-scorer is free for the whole KFC BBL programme.
The 35-year-old arrives off the back of a whirlwind end to the English T20 Blast, where his unbeaten 108 from 51 balls – 11 sixes, all clean – dragged Hampshire past Northamptonshire in the semi-final. He cooled in the final but the reminder of his power was enough for Adelaide to move quickly.
“I’m really looking forward to getting back to Adelaide Oval and helping the team go deep into finals this year,” Lynn said. “We’ve got an exciting squad this season and I can’t wait to see what we can produce when we take to the field.”
Lynn’s numbers need little hype. He sits on 3,955 BBL runs; 45 more will make him the competition’s first 4,000-run man. Yet Strikers value more than the hitting. Head coach Tim Paine stressed the point. “We’re thrilled to have Chris returning to the Strikers as we strive for a deep finals campaign,” he said. “While his batting exploits speak for themselves, his experience and leadership are equally invaluable to our emerging players within the squad.”
Full season, finally
The two previous summers were half-cut: short-term contracts so Lynn could chase the ILT20 in the UAE, followed by a hamstring strain that restricted him to seven matches last season. The UAE tournament has shifted to early December, easing the overlap that once triggered a late-season talent drain. Adelaide have taken advantage.
How the order might look
Matt Short, last term’s BBL Player of the Tournament, is locked in at the top. Test wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey could join once the Ashes finish in Sydney; the Strikers’ last four league games begin after that Test. There is still quiet talk that Travis Head, currently unsigned, could be squeezed in under the revised marquee player allowance, though nothing is imminent.
Support cast taking shape
Adelaide have lost long-serving opener Jake Weatherald (Hobart Hurricanes) and seamer Brendan Doggett (Melbourne Renegades) but have freshened the list with Jason Sangha and Mackenzie Harvey. English all-rounder Jamie Overton, who has placed red-ball cricket on hold, is expected for the entire tournament. Fellow overseas players Hasan Ali and Luke Wood return.
Current squad
Hasan Ali (overseas), Cameron Boyce, Jordan Buckingham, Alex Carey, Mackenzie Harvey, Thomas Kelly, Harry Nielsen, Jamie Overton (overseas), Lloyd Pope, Alex Ross, Jason Sangha, Liam Scott, Matt Short, Henry Thornton, Luke Wood (overseas) plus Chris Lynn.
Plenty of moving parts then, but Adelaide believe continuity at the top – and Lynn’s familiar swagger through mid-wicket – can steady the mix. Whether that translates into a first title since 2017-18 will be the question once the warm-up rounds fade and the business end rolls around.
