Nathan Lyon bowls his overs like he has had 35 red bulls – walking briskly back to his mark, performing a quick pirouette and running back in to bowl another ball with seemingly little thought or real intent.
Shane Warne, even when having a rare bad day, put thought into and processed every delivery before coming into bowl. He walked slowly back to his mark, sometimes checking his field before slowly turning around, pausing again to gather himself and then ambled into the crease once again.
Lyon’s bowling speeds are also way too fast, consistently around the 87/90km/h mark, which eliminates any chance of loop, flight, drift or spin he might be able to get if he was to bowl 5-10km/h slower.
In the face of the first Test MS Dhoni massacre a couple of days ago, Lyon did very little to interrupt the immense momentum of the match-changing innings.
There were no variations in speed, no long pauses between deliveries – which might have annoyed or distracted Dhoni – generally nothing to disrupt Dhoni’s rhythm or put him off his game.
I will never be Nathan Lyon’s number one fan – Australia should have persisted with Jason Krejza for a while longer than they did – nor do I expect Nathan Lyon to emulate the feats of Warne.
However, the before mentioned attributes can so easily be emulated and fashioned into Lyon’s game, as it is nothing technical or ability based.
Surely all it would take is a tap on the shoulder from one of the Australian brains trust, on the field or off, and say, “Slow down, mate.”
Andrew
Guest
Lyon is as has been mentioned young enough to make changes to his bowling craft,but who is going to help him with this?.Along with bowling too fast, NL doesn't seem to be enjoying his cricket.Seems the man's not being allowed to show his individuality as a spin bowler.Could the real problem be that you have three natural autocrats at the top of Oz Cricket in messrs Inverarity,Clarke and Arthur?.
Maddy k
Guest
Lyon does bowl a little fast but he is by far the best spinner in Australia at the moment.. I think that if we persist with him he will become a lot better because he is only 25. I don't think that Doherty should play because he isn't good in tests I think that he should just stick to T20's and maybe one day matches. He should slow down in his run up and make his overs last longer because it seems he just wants his over to finish. Lyon is great and is my favourite player by far... He has potential!
Brendon
Guest
How about he's pretty much the only bowler going around with Natural loop and flight, that's if Clarke will let him use it. I don't think the problem is with Lyon, I think it's with those who coach him, look at the ball that got Tendulkar out, it was beautiful, looped, pitched in the rough and went through the gate. I also can't see anyone belting down the door for a spot, who have we got? Doherty, please, the only way this bloke gets wickets is by having people caught on the boundary or stumped because some batsman has screamed down the pitch. We do have SOK, and it's a mystery to me as to why he isn't there, but after that there is daylight, should SOK play, yes, but it would be better if they were both in the team. You mention that Lyon was the worst of the three bowlers, but what you don't mention is how many more overs he bowled, he was actually less expensive than the other two. I think Lyon is ok because he looks to have talent, he looks as though with the right person telling him the right things he really could be of international class, he's probably not at the moment, but is it him? Was it Hauritz, Kreizja, Cullen, Bailey or Beer? What's one thing they all have in common, they've all been coached by a CA staff member, they all showed glimpses before CA got hold of them, I bet if SOK plays the same thing will happen to him, he'll lose his flight and start throwing darts.....it's the coaching, not the man.
mick the clown
Guest
he is 2nd on the ALL TIME Australian bowlers in runs conceded in an innings. - (Only outperformed in an unlimitted time test match) And "He's just not that bad". - What will it take for you to call him bad? What will it take to drop him? There was a trial match in India where Lyon and 2 other spinners played, and of the 3, Lyon was the worst. - but he still got chosen for the test. Have a look at his results, not his excuses. Why do you think, he is not that bad? What excuses do you have for his 1st test performance?
Rugby Reg
Roar Rookie
Much to short and fast in chennia he needs to slow down and concentrate on length his natural dip and flight will come I have a feeling he needs a break from cricket throw doherty to the wolves he has a thick skin
Brendon
Guest
I've also noticed this, give it a rest Mick
Felix
Guest
I can't argue with what you're saying too much, though if I was to pick at nits I would suggest it's more about how the ball arrives to the correct length that creates doubt. If two consecutive balls land on a good length, one flighted with late drop and a bit of turn and the other darted low that goes straight on you have planted the seed. Lyon just doesn't seem to have that in him consistently, but he is here and now so let's pray he takes 8 for in the next match.
tra
Roar Rookie
This is misdirected - Clarke's biggest flaw as captain is his management of the over-rate, Lyon is unlikely to get the "slow down mate" from the bloke who's saying "speed up mate".
deccas
Guest
Man you really have a problem with Lyon verging on the personal. He's just not that bad.
DJW
Guest
Great points, I agree, his length was all over the place in that first test. I still think though he has lost his flight as well though from bowling quicker.
mick the clown
Guest
Why would he bother changing anything? He is guaranteed a spot despite non performance after non performance. He has failed in every test this summer. He has not played a significant role in a single win. When he failed in Belreive to take a wicket during the second innings and Clarke brought on Wade, it was a measure of his incompetance. - We eventually won due to the pace attack. We took into Sydney 5 bowlers (to cover for Lyons inability to take a wicket) We took into the 1st test 4 bowlers + Henriques to cober Lyon Lyon is now equal 2nd on the list of Australian bowlers to concede the most runs (only surpassed by a bowler in an unlimted time test match wher over 1000 runs were scored in that innings). If Lyon, with an equal 2nd in runs conceded in an innnings does not get dropped then he never will. - This is the biggest disadvantage that AUs cricket has. - That we are going into each test with 10 cricketers + Lyon.
Sydney Kiwi
Guest
I think with another spinner to share the load he will get better. In his quick turn around thats just his habit, it keep the batsman on their toes very much like David Hussey does. He just needs to get tighter in his length and use his variations more. Also as mentioned helps the over rate- we don't want Clarke missing a game do we?. If its part of his routine don't mess with it I say.
jameswm
Roar Guru
5 wickets - but at what cost? 5 for 300 off 70?
mds1970
Roar Guru
In an era when over rates are so slow that, even with half an hour added to the end, teams rarely complete 90 overs in a day - to see someone make an effort to quickly get through their overs and keep the game moving is a breath of fresh air.
The Gospel of Luke
Guest
The problem is not his flight, pace, bounce or ability to turn the ball, it's his accuracy and the length that he bowls. If you look at the best spinners in the world and of all time. They didn't exactly bowl an unplayable ball every ball to get their wickets. It would come from sustained pressure on the batsmen who would eventually lose their heads and play a silly shot to a good ball. Take Graeme Swann for example. He always lands the ball just in that area where the batsmen can't quite get forward and drive the ball on the half volley but also can't quite get back and cut/pull as it's too full. The result is he has batsmen playing from the crease alot more than other bowlers which is how he takes alot of his wickets. That's is what Lyon needs to do imo as atm he bowls too many deliveries either too short or two full allowing the batsmen to use the crease. He still may develop that side of his game as he is young. Maybe we should allow him to go back and develop in the Sheffield Shield for a season or two (away from the glaring media eye) and bring in this Ahmed from Victoria.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
I don't have a problem with his pace, either of the ball or in getting through his overs. If his stock ball is a faster one, which he seems most comfortable with, then fine. I do believe he needs to bowl a slower more flighted one more often though, it just need to be the stock delivery. As for the time between deliveries, it is almost irrelevant. If he has a plan in mind for each batsman, and that may be lacking, he presumably already knows what he wants to do the moment he knows which batsman will be taking strike. If he doesn't have a plan in mind, then taking extra ti,me each ball won't help much. Different people have different habits, so be it. I take the point that sometimes it might be useful to change it a bit. If a given batsman seems to have a preference for facing up quickly; making him wait could give a minor advantage.
Frankie Hughes
Guest
You want to put money on that?
langou
Roar Guru
My man Lyon is going to come out swinging this Test Match I predict a 5 wicket haul providing he has a back up spinner to help
Frankie Hughes
Guest
To bowl slowly you have to have heart and belief. Lyon lacks both of these. A few seasons playing of South Australia and he might improve. I wouldn't hold my breath though, as he's got a pretty limited skill set.
Sam Brown
Roar Guru
I agree completely, at its heart spin bowling is like playing poker: you have to use all your skills and guile to bluff your opponent into making a mistake and misjudging your next move. Lyon isn't a bad bowler, technically speaking, but he doesn't keep his opponents guessing enough.