Lyon: What happens on the field, stays on field
NATHAN LYON knows his designated jobs in the Australian Test team very well. As the slow option behind a hostile and skilful pace attack, he provides the stability, stamina and also the irritation factor.
He gets under the opposition’s skin, and they often look to take him on to release some of the pressure exerted by the likes of Mitch Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins. That suits him right down to the ground, too, as evidenced against England recently.
The off-spinner explained that he backed himself to find something on whatever surface and, when asked his thoughts on South Africa’s recent, executive decision-making on the preparation of pitches, Lyon was as unerring as his arm-ball.
“I know for a fact that we don’t do that, and I know that if we tried to tell curators back home to take a bit of grass off to make it spin, they would tell us where to get off,” he swiped.
After some especially fiery surfaces in the Indian series, SA have taken a sensible step sideways, and quietly decided to let curators do what they are paid to do. Kingsmead does not have the pace of old, but that shouldn’t stop two fine attacks getting the ball to hurry on when they are fired up.
“These are the two best attacks, in my eyes, going head to head. I think it is going to be crackerjack series,” Lyon said cheerfully.
“I went out and had a bowl with our guys, and Mitch looked like he was bowling quick. Josh was doing what he always does, and Patty was also looking fast. There is a lot of confidence in our bowling unit at the moment, after the summer we had.”
Lyon, never shy of a word on the field, is already bracing himself, as nightwatchman, to cop his fair share of blows from the Proteas’ pace attack.
“I will be the punching bag again. It is a challenging job, going up against some of the best bowlers in the world, but I have always wanted to challenge myself against the best,” Lyon said.
On that same note, Lyon said that needle between the two sides would be part of the game, though they give SA a lot of respect.
“What happens on the field, stays on the field. We are all grown men, and we are competitive. If there is something to be said, I know it will be said on both sides. I know that when I go out to bat, I will get a warm reception from a few of them,” Lyon said of the banter.
As for his role in the series, Lyon is ready for whatever SA come at him with.
“I am happy with my stock ball at the moment, the consistency,” Lyon said. “To be honest, I have got the best batter in the nets facing me each and every day. To bowl to ‘Smithy’ (Steve Smith) every day is a massive challenge, as the number one batter in the world, who is trying to take you down every day. That gives you a lot of confidence, when you are bowling to guys like that consistently,” he pointed out.
Whatever SA throw at him, “Garry” Lyon will be ready. STEVE KOMPHELA is using psychological warfare to get his Kaizer Chiefs players psyched up for their must-win Soweto derby against Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
Komphela has told his players to give Pirates what Chiefs get from the other 15 Absa Premiership teams – heightened focus.
Amakhosi missed an opportunity to cut Mamelodi Sundowns’ lead at the summit to just three points when they drew 0-0 with Bloemfontein Celtic last Saturday.
The Buccaneers made the most of Sundowns’ slip, jumping from fifth place to second with just four points separating them and the Brazilians.
Pirates and Chiefs’ involvement in the league race has added extra spice to an already big match that consistently fills the biggest stadium on the continent.
“A plus in this, which I always say to the players, when people hear about this fixture, they immediately go with a marker to say that we are playing Chiefs here or we are playing Pirates here,” Komphela said.
“The level of focus for players when they play against Kaizer Chiefs is so heightened, coaches don’t have too many problems in selecting the playing personnel. They would want to play with broken legs because they want to play this important match. Now I am saying to our players, everybody else looks at Chiefs’ matches like that (so we must return the favour against Pirates).
“This is the same way we are looking at the Pirates match, because it is big.
“The preparations you go through leading up to a match against Pirates should be the way you prepare consistently because all the other 15 teams prepare like that against us. It is a big week, but I have to be careful because what are you saying about the other weeks?”
Chiefs head into the derby as underdogs. The Buccaneers have momentum after coming from behind to beat Chippa United 4-2 on Saturday.
Pirates possess a more aggressive attack but Chiefs’ advantage is that they have worked together as a unit longer than the Buccaneers, whose coach Milutin Sredojevic only joined the team in August.
Komphela spoke about the Celtic draw as if the team had lost.
In the greater scheme of things, Chiefs did lose because they are still two matches away from catching up with the pacesetters instead of making it one game with a threepoint gap.
“You would then want them to respond (after dropping points against Celtic),” Komphela said.