Heat confident Lynn will face Scorchers

Jan 4, 2017 - 7:52 AM Brisbane star Chris Lynn is expected to overcome a shoulder injury to take on Perth in the top-of-the-table BBL clash at the WACA on Thursday night.

The competition's leading run-scorer flew with the team to Perth, and it's understood his condition would have to deteriorate for him to miss the key match.

Lynn aggravated his already-strapped left shoulder while attempting to take a diving catch in the Heat's three-wicket loss to the Sydney Sixers on Tuesday night and was taken from the field as a precaution.

The Heat have also named Nathan Reardon in their squad for the match, while the uncapped Marnus Labuschagne has travelled with the 13-man squad and could be used as potential cover.

The fitness of Lynn - who has scored 211 at an average of 105.5 and hit 15 sixes this summer - will be key after the Heat have already lost West Indian legspinner Samuel Badree to a hamstring injury.

Even if Lynn does play, the Scorchers perhaps have the best chance of taming the hard-hitting Heat who have scored at more than nine-an-over throughout the tournament.

Perth have the two most economical bowlers of those who have bowled at least five overs in the competition in David Willey (5.07) early in the innings and AJ Tye (5.56) at the death.

"I thrive on challenges," Tye said.

"It's a challenging sort of period especially when you're running in knowing the batsman is trying to hit the ball out of the ground."

"I'm imagining Lynn and (Brendon) McCullum will be up there with those tough challenges."

Perth have also been bolstered by the return of Ashton Agar, who has been released from the Australian Test squad for the match.

The 23-year-old allrounder returns as an injury replacement for Adam Voges, who has been struck down with the recurrence of a hamstring problem.

Agar missed the Scorchers' last-start flogging of the Sydney Thunder, but struck a six off the final ball of the previous match to beat the Melbourne Renegades in a thriller.

Meanwhile Brisbane have also called pace bowler Xavier Bartlett into their 13-man squad after Luke Feldman was injured while playing a Twenty20 in New Zealand.

Bartlett, 18, would become the youngest player to debut in the franchise-era of the Big Bash League if coach Daniel Vettori names him in the final XI on Thursday.

Source: AAP