Chris Lynn signs for Adelaide; gets ILT20I NOC

The Chris Lynn impasse has finally come to an end with the Australian batsman getting a Australian T20 League contract alongside an NOC for the UAE T20 League. The Australian Cricket board on Thursday confirmed the arrangement stating that the dashing opener will be released for his desert dig on January 20 after playing 11 of the 15 Aus T20 League matches for the Adelaide based franchise. 

The Australian Board welcomes Adelaide's signing of Chris Lynn, the highest run-scorer in Aus T20 League history, for 11 out of 14 games in the upcoming season. He will be released from 20 January to participate in UAE's T20 competition from that date," the Australian Cricket Board stated.

With Lynn neither having a Aus T20 League club nor an Australia Cricket contract, he put his name for contention in the desert league and was ultimately roped in by Gulf leading to a potential standoff with Australian Cricket Board, which was in a troublesome situation whether or not to provide the mandatory NOC. It maintained that the player had not requested the NOC and said that, in accordance with the policy, no player will be permitted to play in a foreign league while the Australian season is on. 

"Lynn does not hold a contract and has not done so since his last Queensland Cricket contract expired in June 2019. Each matter regarding release for overseas competitions is subject to the individual's circumstances. Our guiding principle remains the prioritisation and protection of Australia's domestic summer of cricket and the interests of the game overall," the Australia Cricket Board stated but they were very aware of the fact that they cannot hold back a player under Australian laws. The issue got a ramp-up after the Gulf unveiled him through a social media launch.

However both the Gulf management and Lynn’s management team told the press they would ensure an amicable settlement. “We are working on his NOC. Hopefully we will be able to manage something," an official of Adani Sportsline, which owns the Gulf franchise said this a few days back.  

Sam Billings, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Chris Jordan and Trent Boult are among those who have signed for both the Aus T20 League and the desert league. The above-mentioned players have been graded as Platinum Players by the Australian Cricket Board and will be part of a first ever Aus T20 League Draft, which will be conducted on Sunday. 

The Australian T20 League will begin on December 13 with the final on February 4. The UAE T20 League runs for over a month between January 6 and February 12.