Darren Lehmann Reveals Nathan Lyon is Ideal Choice for Ashes
Sep 9, 2017 at 7:47 PM
Australian head coach Darren Lehmann has heaped praises on his ward and experienced campaigner Nathan Lyon in the slow bowling set-up, as he believes he would play the significant role for the first Test which is scheduled from November 23 at Gabba in Brisbane.
“Nathan [Lyon] is going to play. There’s no doubt about that, At the end of the day we just have to see how it all pans out,” Lehmann told Cricket.com.au.
The 47-year-old Gawler-born Lehmann revealed the Magellan Ashes series which is scheduled in the last quarter of the ongoing year that off-spinner Lyon would be the part of a team which the national selectors of Australia would pick for the long series at home against newly-appointed Joe Root’s England.
“We’ll just look at the conditions in Brisbane in two months’ time when we get there and work out what we do,” Lehmann added.
However, the fast bowling quartet is yet to get the clear indication which has been revolved around much talked about ‘Big four’ with the ball, as Mitchell Starc is recovering well including Josh Hazlewood.
The pace quartet includes Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Starc and James Pattinson, as this combination would eventually be a challenge for the opposition at home where the surface has a lot on offer for the pacers and could further give a tough time to CA selectors.
“With injuries, the bowling stocks, how they all come back and what the wicket is like. That’s still a long, long way away,” Lehmann maintained.
The protagonist Lyon for Australia’s Qantas tour to the subcontinent made things miserable for the hosts as the 29-year-old New South Wales-born collected 22 wickets in two Tests.
“He’s had to take a next step as a leader so really pleased with the way he’s gone about that,” Lehman said of Lyon.
Owing to the remarkable performance while donning the white jersey, Lyon has been a prominent figure for Australia, in the five-day format.
“He’s really grown. We changed the set-up of the side 12 months ago and we’ve had a lot of young guys come in the group,” Lehmann asserted.
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On the other side, Pat Cummins has shown the promise with the ball by bearing the scorching heat while sending down the overs after his bowling partner Josh Hazlewood nursed a side strain during the first Test at Mirpur in Dhaka.
“I don’t think we’ve done it for however long with one quick. He did a great job. From our point of view just pleased he got through,” Lehmann said of Cummins.
It’s pertinent to point out that Australian selectors would be eyeing to pick their best bowlers, who could further prove fruitful with the willow too – to make the contest interesting in their backyard.
Lyon, who made his international debut in September 2011, has featured in 69 Tests for the Kangaroos, in which he has bagged 269 wickets at an average of 31.83.
The promising prospect include 12 five-wicket haul and nine four wicket-haul