Australia captain Pat Cummins believes Nathan Lyon has it in him to go half a decade more in Test cricket and lap up 200 wickets in that period. If he does that, Lyon would become his country’s highest wicket-taker – going past legendary spinner Shane Warne. The lofty challenge came on the day Lyon reached 500 Test wickets in the contest between Australia and Pakistan in Perth.
Lyon collected his 500th Test scalp wicket when he trapped all-rounder Faheem Ashraf leg before on the fourth day the Test in Perth. And the off-spinner now has Australian peers Warne (708 wickets) and Glenn McGrath (563) within his sights as he enters the twilight of his career.
While Lyon has refused to be drawn into predictions about the figure he will end with, Aussie skipper Pat Cummins threw a challenge for the 36-year-old.
“Still got another four or five years at least, with 10 games a year,” Cummins hinted as Lyon watched on.
“I still think you’ve got 40 or 50 Test matches, that’s four or five years with 10 (matches) a year.
“Averaging four or five a game, so a couple of hundred (wickets) – that’s 700.”
Lyon collected five wickets in the first Test against Pakistan – three in the first innings and two in the second – as Australia won by a staggering 360 runs inside four days.
The veteran spinner will get multiple chances to properly extend his 501 wickets tally as Australia host Pakistan in the remaining two Tests followed by further two matches against West Indies in Adelaide and Brisbane in January.
Australia then travel to New Zealand at the end of February for a two-match Test series followed by a five-match series against India at the beginning of next summer.
“I don’t think it’s any secret that he (Lyon) is probably the most important cog in our bowling line-up,” Cummins said of the durable spinner.
“This game is probably a little bit different. But most games where he’s bowling 30 overs a day, basically just put him down one end and he’s not going to go for many runs. He’s going to take a few wickets and then us quick bowlers can just rotate through the other end.
“No doubt he was missed over there in England (during this year’s Ashes series) for sure. As a captain, it makes it a lot easier knowing that bloke who has played 100-odd Test matches that knows his craft and can bowl pretty much in any conditions, you just let him get to work so it’s great having him back. Yeah, another 500 to go.”
from Firstpost Sports Latest News https://ift.tt/rZujzs3
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