Adelaide, Dec 31 (NationPress) Chris Lynn, the opener for the Adelaide Strikers, has reached a remarkable achievement in the Big Bash League (BBL) by becoming the first player ever to surpass the 4,000-run milestone in the tournament's history.

This milestone was accomplished during the 17th match of the ongoing 15th season of the BBL, where he played against the Brisbane Heat at the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday. While chasing a target of 122 runs, Lynn delivered an outstanding performance, scoring an unbeaten 79 runs off 41 balls to lead his team to a seven-wicket victory.

Lynn hit six fours and six sixes, amassing runs at a strike rate of 192.68 as the Strikers comfortably celebrated victory on New Year’s Eve. As of now, in 131 BBL matches (129 innings), he has accumulated a total of 4,065 runs with an average of 36.29, which includes one century and 32 fifties, with the latest fifty being scored on Wednesday.

After restricting the Heat to 121 all out in just 19.4 overs, the Strikers cruised to victory with 35 balls remaining, thanks to Lynn's commanding innings.

The Heat faced a stunning collapse, finding themselves at 21 for five within the first six overs. The Strikers’ attack was led by Jamie Overton (3-19), Liam Scott (2-12), and Hasan Ali (2-29), with Scott delivering all four overs upfront. Players like Colin Munro, Jack Wildermuth, and Lachlan Hearne fell easily to mid-off, while Matt Renshaw was run out and Max Bryant edged behind.

With Jimmy Peirson’s dismissal, Brisbane was left struggling at 47 for six before Kuhnemann (31*) and Hugh Weibgen (28) provided brief resistance, adding 36 runs for the eighth wicket. However, the recovery was not enough as the Heat were limited to 121 runs, paving the way for a comfortable win for the Strikers.

The Strikers' chase got off to a rocky start, with early wickets falling as captain Matt Short (19), Mackenzie Harvey (11), and Jerriss Wadia (1) were dismissed, but Lynn's presence proved too much for Brisbane Heat to handle.

The veteran opener marked his place in BBL history by becoming the league's first player to score over 4,000 runs, achieving this milestone in style by hitting a towering six off Xavier Bartlett. Lynn went on to secure his record-extending 32nd BBL half-century off just 30 balls, finishing the chase with three consecutive sixes against Matthew Kuhnemann.

This win marked the Strikers’ first victory in the prestigious December 31 match since 2018 and served as quick retribution for their seven-run loss to Brisbane at the Gabba just days prior, ending a seven-year drought for the Strikers on New Year’s Eve.