He’s a funny-looking bloke, the kind that can be easily caricatured for a newspaper. I am not having a go at Nathan Lyon, his looks are underrated – and so are his skills as a bowler.
Granted he’s no Muttiah Muralitharan, the ‘Offy Messiah’, but he’s certainly someone who can make the English red in the face throughout the Ashes.
There’s something hypnotic about watching Lyon begin with a saunter, fiddle the ball with his tongue poking out, launch himself in the air and deliver a ball with plenty of flight and spin from an explosive arm.
Lyon’s right gun has notched up 155 wickets, making him the leading wicket taker for an off-spinner in Australian Test history – and he is only 27.
So far in the Investec Ashes Series, Lyon is on a total of 9 wickets. Both of his second innings spells have been his most fruitful, when spin rides into town.
During the second innings in Cardiff, Lyon ended up with 4/75, being a tad expensive, but it’s certainly nothing to sneeze at. While he troubled the English on the fourth day at Lord’s, picking up the vital wickets of Ian Bell and top-scorer Stuart Broad to finish with 2/27.
His Ashes 2015 bowling figures tell a positive story about his campaign so far on two ordinary pitches, a far cry from his last slog at the English in 2013 when he was eventually dropped twice.
Like any good bowler, Lyon makes the best out of any pitch and understands the complex subtleties and the moods they can get in – maybe something he learned during his days as a groundsman at the Adelaide Oval.
Damien Fleming recently praised Lyon’s bowling in an article he wrote for The Independent, where he said Lyon came around the wicket and cramped Buttler within the corridor of uncertainty with a ball that didn’t spin, rather than bowling wider and fishing for the edge. The result being that Buttler attempted to block the ball and instead feathered it to Nevill.
Darren Lehmann expects the slow pitches to continue, with the possible exception of Edgbaston, which has been quicker than most in England over the past two years.
If that’s the case, the wickets should keep coming in for Lyon, who is eager to wield the tired ball and hound the English batsman, particularly their left-handers Alastair Cook, Adam Lyth and Ben Stokes.
The third Ashes Test begins next Wednesday at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
With the series all tied up at 1-1, the Australians should be able to keep their hands on the Ashes from here.
My two predictions: Australia will win 3-1, and the funny-looking bloke will end up with 25 wickets – something the Poms won’t laugh at.
GTW
Guest
Jeez Matt Wade made him look bad, as he couldn't catch or stump anyone up at the stumps. Warnie would have shot him. I can't really remember Neville keeping to Lyon, so he must have looked ok. It's good when a new player comes in and looks like he's been there a while. Surely Hads should just go home and retire on top, he's 37 and needed at home for a while. He can be proud that he's been a champ and go be a hero at home too.
James2
Guest
I thought Lyon was all set to retire with worst stats for any spinner to have played for a major team but may be I am looking at irrelevant stats such as strikes rates, average wickets and bowling averages etc..
damien
Roar Rookie
great article! nathan lyon is a beast, cant wait for game 3
liam
Guest
I remember Lyon being torn apart about not getting the job done a few years ago. To be fair a spinner is only as good as his keeper and thankfully Australia have a good backup to Haddin who performed well with Lyon last test.
JimmyB
Guest
I think there's a danger that rather than being underrated, he's becoming overrated. I don't think that England are anymore worried about Lyon than Australia are about Ali. Both will take wickets as both teams have targeted them. If Ali were as bad as some Aussies have suggested then he simply wouldn't be taking any wickets. Lyon is a perfectly decent offie, nothing more.
13th Man
Guest
'He might not seem like much' but he is 10 times better bowler than Moeen Ali so yes we have a major advantage in the spin department.
Jameswm
Guest
Another important point is how many lefties there are in the English batting lineup. A right arm offie round the wicket does well to them. The slider looks for LBW/bowled, and the one that turns can catch the edge. It's also harder to hit out, you risk edging it to an off side fielder.
Aransan
Guest
An important aspect of having Lyon in the team is that the Poms will prepare a spinners wicket at their peril. Remember when we had McGrath and Warne -- how would you doctor a pitch to suit the home side?
Plainsman
Guest
Hi Harry Thanks for your article. I tend to agree that NL is underrated. I have watched him on several occasions at shield level and he has the uncanny ability to place the ball at a nagging length time after time which either frustrates batsmen and forces a streaky shot or slows down the run rate and puts pressure on the batsmen to score against the bowling partner. He may not take a great many wickets but he will be a great bowling partner for the Mitches. I also like his style as a team member. I may also be a bit biased as he spent a lot of time here in Canberra and we tend to claim him (and Brad Haddin) as ours.