Bunnies piling up for Lyon king
AN endless supply of Test wickets through the Ashes is captain Tim Paine’s prediction for Nathan Lyon after declaring the superstar spinner was only getting better.
Lyon, who, at 31, is a relative baby as spinners go, roasted England with a nine-wicket haul at Edgbaston, which included his 350th Test scalp.
He will likely pass Dennis Lillee in the series, possibly as soon as the next Test at Lord’s, and become the third highest Australian wicket-taker.
It is an unimaginable high station in the storied history of Australian cricket for an unassuming off-spinner who has grown from a sometimes expendable option early in his career in to the best spinner in the world.
Lyon is only three wickets behind the great “DK” now, with 352 Test scalps, including out-of-answers England allrounder Moeen Ali now nine times in his past 11 Ashes innings after getting him twice at Birmingham.
He never looked like not getting Ali out in his final day rout, taking 6-49, his 15th five wicket haul, which included being on a hat-trick after he removed Stuart Broad for a first ball duck.
But the bunnies are lining up for the man they call the “GOAT” and Paine said Lyon, who has played 87 Tests, was showing no signs of slowing.
“He He could get plent plenty. As long as he wants to go for I reckon, he doesn’t seem to have too many niggles or injuries over his career,’ Paine said after Lyon’s last day rout.
“The ball is coming out as well as ever.
“He’s a bit the same as ‘Smithy’ (Steve Smith), I feel like every Test match or series they seem to get better which is astonishing at their age.
“But I think if you come and watch both of them train you see why they keep improving and keep getting better, and are a great example for the rest of our group.”
Lyon is the weapon England does not have, with Ali also supposed to do their spinning. But he was a non-factor on a turning Edgbatson wicket, finishing with the ugly figures of 3-172.
England captain Joe Root was one of Lyon’s last-day victims, and smashed his pads in frustration after delivering a catch to Cameron Bancroft at short-leg.
But Root refused to concede Lyon was in their heads.
“Conditions were in his favour and he exploited them very well,” was his explanation.
“I still think it was a good bit of bowling and that can happen on those types of wickets when someone gets it right on the money.
“Even still we'll be looking to make sure that when we find ourselves in a similar situation we get through it.”
Paine said Lyon was a force now in all conditions, on all surfaces, and while the pitch at Edgbaston helped him out, he was now such a phenomenon he could win his country a match anywhere.
“Nathan has played on all different surfaces now and knows exactly what he is doing in all different situations,” the captain said.
“He can take five wickets in any day and when you have a spinner like that it can change a game very quickly.”
Lyon will not play in Australia's tour game against Worcester starting tomorrow in keeping with a plan to rest most of those who were also part of the World Cup campaign.