Brisbane Heat captain Chris Lynn named Player of BBL05

Hard-hitting Brisbane Heat batsman Chris Lynn has been named the best player of the fifth season of the Big Bash League.

The Heat captain enjoyed a blistering campaign, smashing 378 runs at an average of 54 and a strike rate of 173 with three half-centuries and one century.

Lynn also blasted 27 sixes.

The 25-year-old polled  22 votes to finish ahead of a trio of Adelaide Strikers – leg-spinner Adil Rashid (17 votes), Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardena (15) and young batsman Travis Head (14).

Melbourne Renegades captain Aaron Finch and Melbourne Stars all-rounder Glenn Maxwell both tied for fifth on 12 votes – despite playing just five matches of their team’s campaigns.

Lynn, who is now in Adelaide preparing for Australia’s T20 series against India that starts on Australia Day, joins Stars’ captain David Hussey, Finch, Hobart Hurricanes wicketkeeper/batsman Ben Dunk and Sydney Thunder South African recruit Jacques Kallis as winners of the BBL Player of the Tournament award.

He also became the first batsman to score 1000 runs for the Heat during the season.

Head, who is also in Australia’s 17-man T20 squad, won the Young Gun award for the competition’s best player aged under 25.