When legendary leg spinner Shane Warne retired in January 2007, many thought that the only way to replace him was to pick another leg spinner.
And why not? We wanted to see the continued art of leg spin in action. Watching Warne bowl different variations such as the leg break, googly, the top-spinner, slider, and of course the flipper, was a pleasure to watch.
At the time, Warne’s fellow contemporary, Stuart MacGill, was still playing, but he was only a couple of years younger and obviously not a long-term option for Australia.
Australian selectors’ search for a replacement became a task in itself with as many as a dozen spinners been picked into the Test side with very few results.
The one spinner who has been most successful in the post-Warne era, is an off spinner, in the form of current Test spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon has taken 134 at 34.96 in 38 Tests and is on the verge of becoming Australia’s all-time leading wicket taking off spinner. The man Lyon is chasing is late 19th century off spinner Hugh Trumble. He took 141 wickets at 21.78, including nine five-wicket hauls in just 32 matches.
When Lyon made his Test debut against Sri Lanka, he only had a handful of Shield matches to his name. However, on his Test debut, he did make an immediate impact by dismissing Kumar Sangakkara on his very first ball. Lyon took 5-34 in his first bowling innings for Australia.
During the course of his Test career, Lyon has struggled on numerous occasions to bowl his side to victory on days four and five. The one key example was a couple of years ago against South Africa in Adelaide. South Africa started the final day four wickets down and looked headed for certain defeat.
But due to brick wall batting from Faf du Plessis and Lyon’s lack of confidence and patience, South Africa drew the Test eight wickets down and batted for 148 overs. Lyon only took one wicket on the final day.
Heading into the Test series against India, there was talk of Lyon’s position in the side. The main sticking point is can Lyon finally bowl Australia to victory in the fourth innings?
In the first Test against India, he finally sealed the deal by bowling Australia to victory on Day 5 by taking seven wickets, 12 in total for the match.
In the second Test at the GABBA, Lyon equalled former Australian off spinner Ashley Mallett’s record of 132 Test victims. And he quietly took more wickets in the Test (five) compared to Mitchell Johnson (four).
Incidentally, after the Gabba Test, Lyon and Mallett’s stats were very similar.
Lyon
Tests 37, wickets 132, ave 34.4, S/R 65.5, 5w 7, 10wm 1
Mallett
Tests 38, wickets 132, ave 29.84, S/R 75.6, 5w 6, 10wm 1
Traditionally, off spinners come into their own when they are in their thirties.
Graeme Swann made his debut at 29. He played 60 Tests, took 255 wickets at an average of just under 30. Another example is Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal. He debut at 31 and has played in 35 Tests and taken 178 wickets at 28.
In the recent tour of the UAE, Lyon spent time with Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan. While back home, Lyon is gaining tutelage from former Canadian off spinner John Davison.
Behind the scenes, Lyon is working on a wicket-taking ball, such as the ‘Jeff’. He has bowled it a few times in Test matches, but at this stage hasn’t gained enough confidence to bowl it regularly.
The good news for Lyon is he will have good support from fast bowlers throughout his career. Working in tandem with Johnson and Harris at present, while cooperating with Josh Hazlewood, James Pattinson, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Jackson Bird and Jason Behrendorff in the future, will certainly help ease the pressure.
The other significant thing that will occur, barring any mishap, is Lyon will pass Bill O’Reilly’s mark of 144 wickets. Australia’s top five leading spinners are all leg spinners.
Australia’s top spinners
1. Shane Warne (leg) 708 (wickets)
2. Richie Benaud (leg) 248
3. Clarrie Grimmett (leg) 216
4. Stuart MacGill (leg) 208
5. Bill O’Reilly (leg) 144
6. Hugh Trumble (off) 141
7. Nathan Lyon ( off) 134
8. Ashley Mallett (off) 132
9. Bruce Yardley (off) 126
10. Ian Johnson (off) 109
11. George Giffen (off) 103
At 27, Lyon does have the potential to play for Australia for the next 10 years.
If that comes to fruition, can Lyon reach 400 Test wickets? He currently has 134 wickets and is more than a third of the way there. We could be seeing Australia’s best ever off spinner right in front of our eyes without realising it.
If Lyon surpasses the mark or comes anywhere near it, he needs to develop a wicket-taking ball or two. And he needs to slow down the pace of his spinners. Lyon is constantly bowling around the 90 kilometres per hour mark, where really he should be bowling around 80 to 82 kilometres per hour.
That in itself will help him to continue have success on days four and five of a Test match.
If Lyon does get more than 400 Test wickets, then many people, including myself, would gain new appreciation and respect for the art of off spin bowling. Leg spinners ain’t the only spinners that take wickets.
So Roarers what do you think? Can Lyon get 400 Test wickets?
JamesH
Roar Guru
Just came back to this article and boy, there are a few comments here that have aged poorly!
Armchair Expert
Guest
Agar's 1st class batting has also gone downhill since his test debut.
CoverPoint
Guest
Art, I agree that Agar hasn't really improved where it matters most - his bowling. His first class stats are mediocre to say the least Average: 44.00 Strike rate: 80.9
CoverPoint
Guest
Nudge, that is a fair point. Lyon has had a very good series to date. Lets see if he can back it up with good performances when it counts. Especially on flat tracks in Asia where home spinners are lethal.
CoverPoint
Guest
Paul, these are the conditions spinners are supposed to perform, especially on the fifth day.
CoverPoint
Guest
And I do believe SOK is a better option.
CoverPoint
Guest
Don, Lyon has had an impressive current series to date but how was his performance in the UAE? So is he learning from those tours and how many more dismal tours like that before we start to wonder about his development?
CoverPoint
Guest
Yes and he has failed to deliver on the second innings when it counted except for the second test of this series and never away from home. The job of the spinner is a crucial one. The wrong choice of spinners can easily mean the the difference between winning and losing a close series such as the one against SA a few years back. To me Lyon is yet to prove that he deserves the role he currently has. His results overseas have been dismal quite frankly.
CoverPoint
Guest
What? Are you saying results don't count? Mind boggling comment!
art pagonis
Guest
Well now…there’s one for the books. The very guys who dropped Ashton Agar in England are now bringing him back for the Sydney Test. I swear to you on the biggest stack of Bibles that he is not a BETTER CRICKETER THAN HE WAS THEN. He is as good now…as then. Nothing’s changed. He can still hit the ball a mile, throw the ball a mile and his bowling is not greatly improved at all. He has matured a little however. The flair and ability he took into the Lord’s Test in 2013 is still there. But Ashton deserves to be recognized, even if he is not going to play in Sydney. The catch he took in the Big Bash was monumental. BUT…..Ashton has a long way to go to be a fixture in Australian teams. He is not, and was not in England, a better bowler than Nathan Lyon. So he is unlikely to replace him any time soon. It is more the case that Ash and Nathan COULD partner one another in Sydney….and in other places. But I would humbly suggest that Mitch Starc, James Pattinson and Pat Cummins will soon be appearing more regularly in Australian colours…namely the World Cup. They have bowled like wildfire in the BBL. Whether Ashton plays in the WC remains to be seen. He is a gangly boy, doesn’t move well in confined spaces, and is not versatile enough with his deliveries…..YET! I think Ashton has not embraced being OTHER THAN a stock bowler. I HAVE ENCOURAGED HIM TO TRY TO BECOME A LEFT HANDED WRIST SPINNER…..BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT AUSTRALIA NEEDS. HE HAS LONG FINGERS, A FLEXIBLE WRIST AND LOTS OF TIME TO REFINE HIS ART. He has nothing to lose! And there is no time like the present for him to embrace being an artful spinner, turning the ball from both sides.
Professor Rosseforp
Guest
I was going to say "good thing, too", although a check of May's figures as a bowler shows a similar strike rate of about 3 wickets per test at a similar average. I had always thought May was pretty lucky to get a bowl, and assumed it was because Warnie knew that May wouldn't take any wickets (as opposed to MacGill who played later). May didn't take 400 wickets, and had difficulty getting a regular gig ; Lyon seems to be a fixture, which may say more about our spin-bowling stocks, and about his ability to avoid tripping on cricket balls during practice sessions, than it does about his bowling. On Lyon's statistical similarity to Mallett, I would say that Mallett regularly inspired confidence as a bowler, in a way that Lyon does not, but that's subjective. In terms of balls bowled in tests, Mallett had to bowl more than 1,000 more deliveries than Lyon to get his wickets, but was far more economical in gaining them (conceding 3,940 runs as opposed to Lyon's 4,685).
CoverPoint
Guest
No, I don't think so. Australia has invested a lot in this bowler. On most occasions he has failed to deliver when it mattered such as in Adelaide against South Africa. Has not performed overseas at all. Good showing in the second test but I am still not sure that he is the best option we have (I'm sure others will disagree).
Shouts Chen
Guest
Gazza Lyon my man! He can go one step higher when he had 134 test wickets. In fact his First Class was 200. I think that could be a chance of taking 400 Test Wickets in his career when he turns 32. But on the other side, I would like to see him bowl in the 4th Pink Test at the SCG. Hope he can take a hat-trick.
Craig Watson
Guest
I want the selectors to fast track the development of a young leggie. Like James Muirhead, Adam Zampa or Jonti Pattison. Cameron Boyce and Muirhead have already tasted internationalsT20 cricket. I say give them, along with Zampa more short format cicket to build up their confidence and lower their rather high strikes rates. Boyce is fresh and in some form. Perhaps give him a shot at the ODI tri-series coming up.
jamesb
Guest
That's why in my article, I mentioned that he needs to develop one or two wicket taking deliveries and slow his spinners around the 80-82 km/ hr.
Craig Watson
Guest
No way. Will not get 200. The bloke needs help like footmarks to get wickets. He is too one dimensional. Needs another delivery or two in his repertoire to be a long term test bowler.
Brains of a bimbo (Atgm)
Guest
No way!
Johnno
Guest
Nathan Lyon is no Tim May.
jamesb
Guest
Hey Rob Interesting points that you raise about Benaud, Warne and Lyons career against India. It certainly makes for interesting reading. V India Benaud- Tests 8, wickets 52, ave 18.38 Warne- Tests 14, wickets 43, ave 47.18 Lyon- Tests 9, wickets 41, ave 34.6 Lyon may well end up with a better record against India compared to Warne. He could go past Warne's tally against India in the new years Test.
JGK
Roar Guru
I hope he doesn't go past 400 more because it would mean a better spinner than him has come along to take his place.