Steelbacks facing anxious fitness wait on star batter Chris Lynn ahead of Finals Day
Northants Steelbacks are sweating on the fitness of star batter Chris Lynn ahead of Saturday's Vitality Blast Finals Day at Edgbaston.
The Australian was forced to retire hurt in the seventh over of Northants' innings as they overcame Gloucestershire by eight wickets in the quarter-final at the cinch County Ground on Wednesday evening.
Lynn was caught flush on the foot by a yorker from left-arm fast bowler Duan Jansen with the final ball of the powerplay, and despite initially trying to bat on, he hobbled off two balls later.
Speaking after the game, head coach Darren Lehmann said he hoped Lynn would be okay for Saturday's semi-final against Somerset (start 11am), but admitted it was too soon to tell.
"Hopefully Chris Lynn is good to go on Saturday," said Lehmann.
"I don't think he'll miss it for anything, but we'll get the scans done and see how that goes in the next 24 hours.
"He is sore, but we can't worry about it. Hopefully he is alright, but if he's not then somebody else will just have to step up.
"I am pretty sure if it's not broken then he'll play, it won't be an issue."
Lynn is the Steelbacks’ leading run-scorer this season, and is a key man. He has scored 475 runs at an average of 52.77, having scored two centuries and two half-centuries.
If he doesn’t play at the weekend, it will be a big miss as it is now too late for the Steelbacks to call in an overseas replacement.
To get to Saturday evening's final, the Steelbacks will have to see off a Somerset side that beat them twice in the Central & West Group stages.
Lehmann believes he has the plans in place to make it third time lucky against the Cidermen, but for now he is just delighted to be involved this weekend.
"You have to be at Finals Day to win it, and that is the pleasing thing," said the Australian, who also led the Steelbacks to Finals Day last year.
"After a really good group campaign, I am pleased for the squad."