No spin, Lyon an Aussie great

SHANE Warne’s giant shadow turned the lights out on 10 Australian spinners.

It was supposed to be 11, but Nathan Lyon refused to be silenced and now occupies his own throne beside the King.

To be crowned the best spinner since Warne is an achievement in itself, given the list of casualties who failed to cope with the expectation to live up to the greatest of all time.

But to have dealt with that and to have eclipsed giants such as Richie Benaud on his way to becoming only the eighth Australian to take 250 Test wickets and the country’s most successful finger spinner is a feat that stands on its own.

Lyon could today lead a threepronged spin attack in the second Test in Chittagong.

Australia hasn’t tried that since Warne was in the team more than a decade ago.

Two-Test spinner Jason Krejza was one of the first tasked with replacing Warne.

He said Warne’s effect was pro- found as he, Beau Casson, Bryce McGain, Xavier Doherty, Michael Beer and others were left by the wayside.

Krejza said Lyon’s ability to overcome a shy personality and fight even when selectors wanted his head was an Australian cricket success story.

“I think his attitude is amazing,” Krejza said.

“When I first met him he was a quiet guy and I thought he’s going to have to work on his attitude and see how he can be tougher.

“But as soon as he started getting a bit of success, he became this confident monster (who) really trusted his skill.

“The whole (Warne) comparison ... 100 per cent that was unreasonable pressure.

“He was just obviously the best, and if you’re trying to come in as a young person … we were just under scrutiny the whole time.

“I found it quite difficult personally to deal with some of the pressure, for sure.

“I started to really self-doubt. I never really thought I should have been there.’’

Krejza now teaches young spinners in Sydney and spin academies in India to trust in themselves – and Lyon is the poster boy for that.

“A lot of the time the media and the public were very harsh on him,” he said. “He’s an off-spinner bowling against many right-handers, and if the ball isn’t turning it’s difficult to be able to contain, let alone take wickets.

“We’re all mental cases, spinners; I think we’re all a little bit funny in the head.

“But he was able to keep a really low head about his cricket and be super confident about it.

“He’s getting unstoppable now. You just know he comes good.”