Steelbacks skipper Cobb hoping for more 'Lynnsanity' from Aussie star Chris in 2023

Although he knows he will definitely give it his best shot with some more Lynnsanity!

Lynn was a revelation in his first season in domestic English cricket, hitting two sublime unbeaten centuries at the County Ground on his way to racking up a mighty 516 runs in just 10 innings.

He added four other half-centuries and in total hit a whopping 29 sixes, some of them the biggest strikes ever seen at Wantage Road, and 45 fours.

Lynn got his runs at a strike-rate of 159.25, with the only disappointment for the former Australia T20 and One Day international being the fact the Steelbacks failed to reach the knockout stages.

And Cobb believes that will be the major driving force for Lynn when he returns to the County Ground for a second stint in May - as he feels there is some unfinished business to attend to.

"I think it would be unfair to expect the same again (from Lynn) this season," admitted Cobb, who wasn't too shabby with the bat himself last season, bagging 318 runs in 11 knocks, including four half-centuries.

"Nobody had ever scored two T20 hundreds for Northants, and Lynny went and did it in one season!

"It was a phenomenal year for him, and I think from his point of view he wants to come over and make some winning contributions, however that is.

"He wants to see us in the quarter-finals and at Finals Day, and that will be his main focus.

"If he can have a year anything like he did last season then that is certainly going to put us in good stead anyway."

Lynn certainly won't be shy of confidence when he walks back through the gates at Wantage Road, as the past nine months or so has seen him re-establish himself as one of the most destructive T20 batters in world cricket.

And it all coincided with him deciding to come to the UK for his debut stint for the Steelbacks.

When Lynn joined the County last season, he had just been released by his hometown club in the Big Bash League, with Brisbane Heat deciding not to offer him a new deal after an 11-year stint.

He arrived in England with something of a point to prove having not previously played in the T20 Blast, and the 32-year-old did that in some style.

His brilliant performances for the Steelbacks put him right back on the cricketing map and led to him being snapped up by the Adelaide Strikers for the 2022/23 BBL.

It was no surprise to anybody who saw him play last summer that he enjoyed a superb campaign for his new team, hitting 416 runs at an average of 41.6.

Lynn also landed a contract with the Gulf Giants in the first International T20 League in Dubai.

The Aussie was once again excellent in that tournament as he helped the team claim the inaugural title, beating Desert Vipers in last month's final.

In all he scored 278 runs in eight innings, including a brilliant unbeaten 72 from 50 balls in the final as the Giants won by seven wickets.

As it stands, Lynn is not going to be involved in the 2023 Indian Premier League after going unsold at auction, so he is set to arrive in Northampton in a couple of months’ time nice and fresh for his Blast stint.

Cobb can't wait to work again with a player who made such an impact with the Steelbacks last summer, and he believes one of the reasons Lynn is coming back to Wantage Road is because he is thankful for the chance the club offered him a year ago.

"I think Lynny had a bit of time where he wasn't quite as in demand as he had been over the past 10 years," said Cobb, who has twice won the Blast, with Leicestershire in 2011 and the Steelbacks in 2016 – being voted man of the match on both occasions.

"He came over here and he actually arrived two weeks early and played some second-team cricket.

"He was really hungry from that point of view and he got rewarded for that work.

"I also think he really enjoyed himself, and when you are playing cricket with a smile on your face then you tend to perform, so those things went hand in hand.”

And on that desire to help the Steelbacks move beyond the group stage for only the second time since their Blast final win over Durham seven years ago, Cobb added: “He was disappointed for us not to make the quarter-finals.

"So with the enjoyment he had and wanting to push us that little bit further he was always keen to come back.

"Also, with the way that he played it has also had a knock-on affect and he is travelling the world again playing cricket.

"So it has worked well all round."

The Steelbacks begin their 2023 Blast campaign with a home clash against Worcestershire Rapids on Wednesday, May 24.

They are then at home again two nights later when they play their first Friday night game at Wantage Road, taking on Durham Jets.

The following Monday they travel to take on Derbyshire, before wrapping up a busy first week with another home game, this time against the Birmingham Bears, and Cobb knows he and his team must make the most of those early home encounters.

"If we can then win a few matches early on it builds a bit of momentum, not just among the players but among the people of Northampton," he said. “That is ultimately what we want.”

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