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Nathan Lyon is set to return from injury in Saturday night’s BBL derby, having missed the SCG clash between Sydney Sixers and Hobart Hurricanes that was washed out.
Play stopped after 6.4 overs on Thursday night, when the Sixers had reached 2-45.
The heavy covers remained in place until 9:25pm, when umpires finally gave up hope of an abridged contest that would have involved a five-over chase.
The second-placed Sixers’ next clash is against cross-town rivals Thunder at Olympic Park, where Lyon is poised to return from the thumb injury he suffered during the SCG Test.
Lyon will be assessed by a Cricket Australia medico on Friday but Sixers coach Greg Shipperd fully expects the Test tweaker will return on Saturday.
“He’ll come and bowl in the nets and that’ll be the tick that we’ll need,” Shipperd told reporters.
“He’s a world-class international bowler and he’s always done great things for us.
“So it’s great to have him back.”
(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Rain is usually cause for much consternation at the cricket but the bigger picture wasn’t lost on Lyon and his teammates.
Lyon noted bushfires were at the back of players’ minds as they waited in vain for the showers to stop.
“Can’t really complain about rain at the moment. I’m all for the rain,” Lyon told the Seven Network during the delay.
“Fingers crossed for the fans that we’re able to get some cricket in, but also, hopefully it rains and stays around for a while.”
Lyon and Tim Paine visited firefighters in Wingello after the SCG Test finished, an experience the off-spinner noted “put a lot of things in perspective”.
“It was a pretty amazing trip,” Lyon said.
“To put a few smiles on the face of a few exhausted people was special… the firefighters are heroes.”
Hobart captain Matthew Wade opted to bowl on Thursday, knowing the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method would be a factor if there were to be a result.
The Hurricanes enjoyed a bright start, removing talented opener Josh Philippe and English batsman James Vince within four balls.
Philippe was stumped after charging left-arm spinner Clive Rose, while Vince was caught behind off the bowling of Scott Boland.
The visitors missed a chance to run out Moises Henriques in the final over before the covers came on but it cost them nothing, with rain ruining any hope of a result.
© AAP
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