As the most successful Big Bash season charged into Saturday night's final and cricket scribes throughout the world turned to penning their best team of the tournament, two names stood out above all else.
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The first was Chris Lynn of the Brisbane Heat, Mr Big Bash who spawned the social-media term "Lynnsanity" in a frenzy of six-hitting throughout the opening rounds of the tournament.
Had he not been drafted into the national team after five BBL games, 309 runs and an astonishing 26 sixes, the Heat probably would have won the tournament.
Second picked in any BBL team of the tournament must be Sydney Sixers strike bowler Sean Abbott – the revelation of this year's competition with his 20 wickets at an average of 14.5 and the ability to win a game from his own bat if necessary.
This has been Abbott's best summer yet, and the 24-year-old would be hard done by were he left out of the Australian squad for next month's three-match Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka.
"I'm ready to step up," Abbott said. "If they see that I'm a good fit for that team ... I'm ready for it. I feel like I'm in pretty good form and I can still play better cricket. I can still improve on a lot of things.
"Things are going pretty well for me at the minute. You can rock up and bowl all your best balls and get hit for six with guys like Brendon McCullum and Benny Cutting. Or you can come out and bowl not so great and take a bagful. By far and away this has been my best season."
Here's our Big Bash team of the season.
Brendon McCullum (captain, Brisbane Heat)
Chris Lynn's partner in crime at the top of the Heat's batting order and the second most destructive BBL blaster in terms of sixes hit with 19. But McCullum was also a brilliant captain this season, directing his troops around with precision in the field and seemingly harbouring a finely tuned plan for every batsman. Will consider himself unlucky after that semi-final loss to the Sixers where his aggressive field changes late in the run chase triggered a collapse before the Sydney Sixers saved the game in the super over. We'll also give him the gloves even though his keeping days are a thing of the past. This BBL wasn't exactly a vintage edition for wicketkeepers.
Aaron Finch (Melbourne Renegades)
You could almost see the anger etched on Finch's face after he was dumped from Australia's one-day squad for the Pakistan series. He scored 210 of his 354 tournament runs after being told his services in the green and gold would not be required. Finch scored his runs in typically bruising fashion all season, finishing with 29 boundaries and 15 sixes. Only Ben Dunk scored more runs than Finch this BBL.
Chris Lynn (Brisbane Heat)
The bloke only played five games in the BBL this season before Australian selectors drafted him into the one-day international side. But he's the first player picked in the team of the season after an absolutely brutal showing for the Heat where he blasted 309 runs and an astonishing 26 sixes. He was dismissed only twice, giving him an average of more than 150. Injury has cruelly derailed his summer, but not before he forged a reputation as one of the cleanest hitters in international cricket.
Ben Dunk (Adelaide Strikers)
No one scored more runs this BBL season, and it's a wonder the Strikers only managed the three wins with this bloke anchoring their batting order. He was Mr Consistency, failing on just one occasion when he fell for a third-ball duck against the table-topping Perth Scorchers. His next lowest tally after that was 31 and he did it all with a strike rate just under 164. Not exactly the most enjoyable fella to bowl to.
Eoin Morgan (Sydney Thunder)
The England captain played just five games before he was off to fulfil international commitments in India, but what a contribution he made while he was here. He made 159 runs and hit seven sixes, none more memorable than the last ball he faced in Australia this summer when he needed five to win off the final ball of the match against the Melbourne Stars. Morgan stepped up and belted the ball straight over Ben Hilfenhaus' head and into the sight screen to keep the Thunder's season alive. It was that shot, and the fact we wanted to squeeze a Thunder player in somehow, that earned him a spot on this list.
Daniel Hughes (Sydney Sixers)
Mark Waugh described Sixers opener Hughes as the most improved batsman in the country this summer and it'd be hard to argue otherwise. Prior to the final, he'd scored the most runs for the Sixers this tournament with 296 and often held together what at times has proven to be a rather flimsy batting order. And in what is so often a thrash and bash competition, Hughes accumulates most of his runs with genuine cricket shots, making him a delight to watch.
Mitchell Marsh (Perth Scorchers)
Only played the five games for the Scorchers before international commitments dragged him away, but certainly played his role in leading his side into Saturday's final. He managed 210 runs at an average of 70 and struck the ball at 152.17. He chipped in with three wickets, but bowled better than that probably suggests.
Sean Abbott (Sydney Sixers)
Took 20 wickets to steer his Sixers into Saturday's final, including four against the Heat on Wednesday night in the semi-final. He was also chosen by captain Moises Henriques to bowl the super over and Abbott's bowling late in the innings has been a real feature of his game this summer. Certainly not the most economical bowler in the league, but consistently takes wickets and boasts plenty of variety in pace and length.
Mitchell Johnson (Perth Scorchers)
How could you leave him out? Questions were asked when Johnson decided to play this BBL season with the Scorchers but he's been superb throughout the tournament and is one of the main reasons Perth are so good at defending smallish totals. His two games leading into the decider against the Sixers were brilliant: 2-15 against the Hurricanes before he claimed a record 3-3 in four overs to skittle the Melbourne Stars in the semi-final. Long may his Big Bash presence be felt.
Sunil Narine (Melbourne Renegades)
The wizard who spins the ball both ways with a slight tweak of his fingers. Most batsmen in the competition can't read him out of the hand and are forced to play him off the wicket, which is always a big win for the bowler. Statistically he was solid, returning 13 wickets at just under 20 with an economy rate of 7.81. But it's his versatility that earns him a spot here. Narine can be used at any stage of an innings, be it in an attacking fashion or to stem the flow of runs.
Mark Steketee (Brisbane Heat)
Second only to Sean Abbott in terms of wickets, Steketee snared 15 this season in nine game with a better economy rate than Abbott. He took at least one scalp in all but one game, which was the loss to the Sixers earlier in the year. Complemented the Heat's explosive batting line-up nicely.
Kevin Pietersen (12th man, Melbourne Stars)
Couldn't quite squeeze him into the 11, but the polarising, South African-born England star has certainly been entertaining this summer, if nothing else. His insight into the game via the player mic has been fascinating, and at times slightly controversial. At the crease he was an immovable object for most of the season, until late on where two failures in his last two innings led to the Stars ultimately dropping out of the tournament.
