Nathan Lyon is concerned the art of spin bowling is fading away in importance as he tries to re-establish his spot in the Australian Test team.
Lyon cut a cranky figure when he gave a day-one interview after being dropped for the second Test at the Gabba but is all but certain to play in Adelaide on Wednesday when the Aussies attempt to wrap up the Ashes with two matches to spare.
“It was disappointing personally. I’ve played 140 Test matches. I feel like I don’t have a point to prove to anyone,” Lyon said.
“I’m very clear on my role within this Australian cricket team. My dream is to continue to play cricket for Australia.
“No one’s got a given right to be selected. You’ve got to work your backside off to put your hand up for selection.
“If I get that opportunity again, I’ll keep doing that.
“There was a lot of disappointment, but there’s no point looking back now.”
While Lyon is no longer bitter about his surprise omission in Brisbane, he is concerned that it could become an ongoing trend in Australian cricket after he was also left out for the third match on the Caribbean tour when an all-pace attack was favoured.
“It’s incredibly important,” Lyon said. “I’ve always said, As soon as the ball spins, there’s more eyes on TVs. When we go over to India, the exciting cricket is when the ball is spinning.
“Spin’s incredibly important in the game of cricket – in junior cricket, in first-class cricket, in white ball, red ball … it doesn’t matter what format. It’s probably the hardest craft to do.”
Lyon famously worked at the Adelaide venue as an assistant curator before he got his start in the national side.
His head curator back then is still in the role today and Damien Hough is confident the wicket will turn as the Test wears on.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
“I don’t want to be the curator at Adelaide where you don’t pick a spinner,” Hough said.
“Spin needs to play a part here, it always has.
“Even last year when he didn’t bowl a lot of overs, I felt that the pitch would have spun, but they were able to take wickets with the quicks.”
Lyon’s career tally stands at 562, needing two more to go past Glenn McGrath into second on Australia’s all-time list behind Shane Warne’s iconic 708.
“My first Test match was on the roller here in 2010-11. To overtake Glenn McGrath would be pretty incredible.”
Michael Neser or Brendan Doggett are likely to be omitted with Lyon returning to the line-up while the Aussies have been tightlipped over whether veteran opener Usman Khawaja may get a recall, likely at the expense of middle-order batter Josh Inglis.
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