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Nathan Lyon, despite making a credible entry to this Indian Test Series, is still under pressure to maintain his position in an evolving Australian side.
Countless naysayers have chimed in claiming he doesn’t get enough wickets, especially on pitches supposedly suited to his style of bowling.
While that is a worthwhile discussion, I’d like to look at the role his predecessor (and namesake), Nathan Hauritz, played in his test career that abruptly ended in 2010.
Hauritz, who originally debuted for Queensland in January 2001, took the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman in his test debut in Mumbai in 2004.
When form dipped, he subsequently moved states (before it became a national pastime) to New South Wales. A surprise recall to the Australian side beckoned in 2008.
Hauritz grasped this opportunity (despite test caps being handed out to anyone with the title ‘spin bowler’) with both hands and become a key member of the side, mixing defence and attack amiably.
To give this some statistical insight, Hauritz has, potentially, finished his career at 17 tests with 63 wickets at 34.98. Not unlike another great Australian offspinner, Tim May who finished with 24 tests and 75 wickets at 34.74.
During his only full season in 2009/10 Hauritz took 33 wickets at 31.54 and was dropped after only two matches in the 2010/11 season.
While Hauritz was a member of the side he also brought a sense of stoicism to the Australian batting card, finishing with over 400 runs at an average over 25 and two fifties.
Hauritz was also a key member of the Australian one-day side, averaging more than a wicket a game, and having an economy rate of only 4.74 from his 58 matches. His batting incidentally was more than handy, averaging over 22 with a strike rate of over 96.
Hauritz has since made the move back to his home state, and this week took 5/135, and scored 20 and 29 in a losing side.
As we read the many comments regarding Lyon, the potential comeback of our hero SK Warne, and the effectiveness of the alternatives such as Agar, Doherty and Maxwell, it’s interesting to note the lack of respect, (and heavy cricitism at the time) in some quarters for Hauritz.
Certainly judged by his figures alone, he is missed. When it comes to Lyon, rather than comparing him to Warne, maybe it’s enough to say that he’s the best (albeit only) spinner since Nathan Michael Hauritz.
Aside from his figures, I enjoyed watching him rip ’em.
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