Lyon returns faster, flatter to conquer Pak
LONDON: For all the talk of how tough it is for visiting batsmen to succeed in the UAE, it’s been just as hard for visiting spinners. Since 2014, only four visiting spinners have averaged under 40 in the UAE. One is Daniel Vettori, who took just two wickets, and the other three – Dilruwan Perera, Devendra Bishoo and Rangana Herath – represent a motley crew of styles and approaches.
Step forward Nathan Lyon, who is the key to Australia’s hopes in the series against Pakistan in UAE. Since 2014, Australian pitches see the highest bowling average for spinners anywhere in the world, yet Lyon is still held in the highest esteem in Tests. He has built his career bowling on surfaces that don’t suit spin; now, his challenge is to dominate on pitches which will.
This tour marks a significant point for him. The last time he visited the UAE, in 2014, Lyon was 25, unsure of his place. He had a horror show, averaging 140.67, as Michael Clarke’s team lost 2-0 to Pakistan in the two-test series, battered by 221 and 356 runs. That 140.67 is the worst average Lyon has recorded in a Test series. Still, it was a turning point. Immedi- ately after, came a home series against India, which represents the high-point of Lyon’s career – 23 wickets (the most he’s taken in a series) at 34.82 saw him become an integral part of the side and a world class spinner. Since he last toured the UAE, Lyon’s ability to hit a good length has increased. Up to 2015, Lyon hit a good length 38% of the time; since then, that’s gone up to 47%. Given that the optimum length for spinners (pitching 3m-5m from stumps) rarely changes according to strategy – this likely reflects Lyon’s ability to hot that zone.
On top of that increased consistency, there has been a tweak to action. Until that 2014 series, Lyon was an old-fashioned flightand-guile off-spinner, looking to bowl a little slower than others, beating the batsman as much through the air as off the pitch.
Now, he is faster and gets slightly more spin and more drift. Looking at the data, this seems to coincide with a lower release. In 2012 and 2013, Lyon’s release point was 2.3m off the ground; since 2017, it’s 2.1m. He is technically a much improved bowler. Lyon’s two fastest years as a bowler are 2017 and 2018, his bowling speed this year approaching 90kph. How will these changes affect Lyon in this series? At one level, speed could be a hindrance. In the UAE, slower spin has prevailed in recent times – deliveries below 88kph averaging 34.50 since 2014 and those above that averaging 52.25. However, Lyon’s increased bowling speeds could have a big effect, alleviating a key element of the 2014 nightmare. On that tour, Lyon conceded 124 runs to sweep shots, 29.4% of the runs Pakistan scored off him. Misbah-ul Haq and Younis Khan in particular adopted this tactic. Both regular and effective sweepers, they swept Lyon out of the attack on numerous occasions. Will we see a repeat of that this series? The quicker the delivery, the bowler is less likely to get swept. And Lyon’s increased pace would suggest it is less likely to happen.
Misbah-ul-haq