Nathan Lyon, 27, on Friday became Australia’s most successful off-spinner in Test cricket after he surpassed Hugh Trumble’s 111-year-old mark of 141-wickets. Post Shane Warne, quality spinners have been a rarity in Austrian cricket but Lyon in the recent years Lyon has done a commendable job Suraj Choudhari looks at his chronicle from a ground staff to one of the most prolific Australian off-spin bowler.
Lyon is a canny bowler who bowls wily off-spin with a simple high arm action. He’s not intimidating like his fellow teammates. He belongs to a rare tribe of modest cricketers in Australian cricket. He’s been the spine of Australian spin attack and the only Australian spinner who has 100 wickets in his kitty after the retirement of legendary leg-spinner Warne. To add to his fortunes, he is also one of those rare players who have picked a wicket on the first delivery of their Test career.
He made a dream Test debut in 2011 against Sri Lanka at Galle, where Lyon picked five wickets in the first innings. Since then he has seen several highs and lows in his career. He was picked for the Test side after playing just four First-Class matches but grabbed the opportunity at the highest level. Before marking his presence in world cricket, Lyon worked as a ground staff for four long years at the Manuka Oval and later chiselled his path to Adelaide Oval in 2010-11 for the same.
From a ground staff to being Australia’s most successful off-spinner, Lyon is an inspirational story. He played a key role in Australia’s win over India in the Adelaide in December 2014. Against a team, which comprised some of the best players of spin, Lyon’s tally of 12 wickets, saw Australia go up 1-0. While the Indian quality spinners failed to adapt, Lyon had a successful run in that series as he picked 23 wickets in four match Test-series.
He continued his good from in the Frank Worrell trophy in the Caribbean. In the first Test in Dominica, Lyon equalled Trumble’s tally of 141 wickets. On day two of second Test at Sabina Park, Jamaica, Lyon surpassed the mark after he deceived Kraigg Brathwaite. He further picked two more wickets that of Darren Bravo and Shai Hope. Australia won the Test series 2-0 and now from 41 Tests, Lyon has 146 Test wickets at an average of 34.73.
In a side dominated by quality pacers, Lyon, a classical orthodox off-spinner has made a name for him. It’s an illustration to the fact that in the modern day of doosras and caroms, orthodox approach can still be effective. Also, it shows that in a game which is heavily skewed in the favour of the batsmen, spinners still have a major role to play The enlightening aspect of his bowling is that he dares to toss the ball up, which is the key to successful spin bowling.
Apart from his bowling skills he is a handy lower order batsman too. He is usually a gritty customer at no. 11 and in the last Ashes in Australia in 2013-14, he remained unbeaten in his six innings of the five match Test-series. It’s a great self-boosting feat for someone who normally bats lower down the order.
Former England off-spinner Graeme Swann has exploited the English conditions pretty well, using the drift to best effect. There’s no reason, Lyon, another off-spinner of similar classical mould, can’t repeat that. With the Ashes less than a month away, the strong Aussies have already received a major boost to their campaign with their prime spinner roaring.
Hopefully, his stellar performances in the longer formats might sculpt him a regular spot in the shorter format of Australian side.
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