Chris Lynn wants to shed Brisbane's reputation for "heart attack cricket" as they embark on an unlikely Big Bash League finals charge.
Close losses and needlessly tight wins have been commonplace for the Heat in recent seasons, Lynn's men surviving their latest encounter when Perth's Mitch Marsh was unable to hit a six off the final ball to boot them out of finals contention.
Brisbane still need another four consecutive wins to add a second BBL title to their cabinet though, starting at the Gabba on Friday against the Adelaide Strikers.
Lynn can only smile when reflecting on his side's penchant for a nervous finish, particularly with coach Darren Lehmann recovering from a triple bypass after suffering from a heart attack early last year.
"They're character building games ... we've had a couple now and even after the Perth win every person I've spoken to said we gave them a heart attack," Lynn said.
"That's close to home for some, with Darren Lehmann, so we'd like a nice polished performance but if we have to win like that, then we win like that."
Lynn has proved a steady hand this season, scoring a Heat-best 420 runs while striking at 157.30 during the campaign with a personal-best five half centuries.
He said his mindset has improved thanks to the middle order contributions of Marnus Labuschagne, Joe Burns, Joe Denly, Jimmy Peirson and Lewis Gregory.
"That's helped a lot having confidence in the guys right down to seven to rotate the strike and hit boundaries," he said.
"We've improved on last year and been able to scratch and claw to a defendable total, rather than be one or two down and have a train wreck collapse."
Lynn is itching to kick on for a big score that has been lacking, aware it may have cost him a spot in Australia's Twenty20 squad to tour New Zealand in March.
"It doesn't matter what I say, I'll get hosed either way," he said of his omission.
"I have to keep putting my hand up and scoring heaps of runs.
"I've found a way to get to 50 and then found a way to get out, so it'd be nice to turn one of those into a match-winning score."
Australian Associated Press
