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Nathan Lyon has been tabbed GOAT by his baggy green teammates – as “the Greatest [off spinner] Of All Time” in Australia.
And by a long way in a rather elite club.
Of the 443 Australian Test cricketers, only 15 have been genuine off spinners.
Lyon has played 51 Tests, taking 182-6064, average 33.31.
Best figures – 7-94 off 23.2 overs – India at Delhi in 2013 and 7-152 off 34.1 – India in Adelaide 2014.
Hugh Trumble played 32 Tests, taking 141-3072, average 21.78.
Best – 8-65 off 31 – England at The Oval 1902, and 7-28 off 6.5 – England at MCG 1904.
Ashley Mallett played 38 Tests, taking 132-3940, average 29.84.
Best – 8-59 off 23.6 Pakistan in Adelaide 1972, and 664 off 32.3 – India in Delhi 1969.
Bruce Yardley played 33 Tests, taking 126-3986, average 31.63.
Best – 7-98 off 31.4 – West Indies at SCG 1982, and 7-187 off 66 – Pakistan at MCG 1981.
Ian Johnson played 45 Tests, taking 109-3182, average 29.19.
Best – 7-74 off 22.2 – West Indies at Georgetown 1955, and 6-42 off 30.1 – England at SCG 1946.
George Giffen played 31 Tests, taking 103-2791, average 27.09.
Best – 7-117 off 52 – England at SCG 1885, and 7-128 off 54 – England at The Oval 1893.
Joey Palmer played 17 Tests, taking 78-1678, average 21.51.
Best – 7-65 off 52.2 – England at MCG 1882, and 7-68 off 58 – England at SCG 1882.
Tim May played 24 Tests, taking 75-2606, average 34.74.
Best – 5-9 off 6.5 – West Indies in Adelaide 1993, and 565 off 31.3 – New Zealand at Hobart 1993.
Colin Miller played 18 Tests, taking 69-1805, average 26.15.
Best – 5-32 off 17 West Indies in Adelaide 2000, and 5-55 off 18 – New Zealand in Auckland 2000.
Tom Veivers played 21 Tests, taking 33-1375, average 41.66.
Best – 4-68 off 48 – India in Mumbai 1964, and 3-39 off 16 – England at Trent Bridge 1964.
Peter Taylor played 13 Tests, taking 27-1068, average 39.55.
Best – 678 off 26 on debut – England at SCG 1987, and 4-78 off 28 – Pakistan in Lahore 1988.
Marcus North played 21 Tests, taking 14-591, average 42.21.
Best – 6-55 off 18.1 – Pakistan at Lords 2010, and 4-98 off 30 – England at The Oval 2009.
Jason Krejza played just two Tests, taking 13-562, average 43.23.
Best – 8-215 off 43.5 on debut India at Nagpur 2008, and 4-143 off 31 in the second innings.
Gavin Robertson played four Tests, taking 13-515, average 39.61.
Best – 4-72 off 28.2 on debut against India in Chennai in 1998, and 3-28 off 12 – India at Bangalore 1998.
Glenn Maxwell has played three Tests, taking 7-271, average 38.71.
Best – 4-127 off 26 on debut against India in Hyderabad 2013, and 2-54 off 11 – India in Delhi 2013.
For the record, Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka), Harbhajan Singh (India), and Lance Gibbs (West Indies) are the most successful offies in history.
Murali holds the world record with 800 wickets from 133 Tests, costing 18,180 runs, averaging 22.72. Best – 9-51 off 40 against Zimbabwe in Kandy 2002, and 9-65 off 54.2 against England at The Oval 1998.
Harbhajan played 103 Tests, taking 417-13537, average 32.46.
Best – 8-84 off 41.5 against Australia in Chennai 2001, and 7-48 off 28.3 against West Indies at Mumbai 2002.
And Gibbs played 79 Tests, taking 309-8989, average 29.09.
Best – 8-38 off 53.3 against India at Bridgetown 1962, and 629 off 22.2 against Australia at Georgetown 1965.
The best all-time offie match figures of 19-90 belong to England’s Jim Laker with 9-37 off 16.4 and 10-53 off 51.2 against Australia at Old Trafford in 1956.
Laker’s career figures from 46 Tests – 193-4101, average 21.24.