Can Nathan Lyon hold off the challengers?

Date: November 8, 2013 / Posted by Glenn Mitchell

Australian captain Michael Clarke said prior to the start of yesterday’s Sheffield Shield fixture between Victoria and News South Wales at the MCG that he was keen to watch firsthand spinners Nathan Lyon and Fawad Ahmed.

It was offie Lyon’s turn in the field on the opening day with the new Blues’ off-spinner finishing with figures of 2-58 from 26 overs.

Ahmed will get his chance today as he was dismissed off the last ball of the first day to leave Victoria with a first innings total of 236.

There is little doubt that Lyon is the country’s current number one spinner and is a near certainty to play in the opening Ashes Test at the Gabba in a fortnight.

Yet leg-spinner Ahmed, Cricket Australia’s project player, is seemingly nipping at his heels.

He had mixed fortunes in Victoria’s opening round Shield match against the Warriors last week with figures of 6-68 and 0-52.

On a wearing last day pitch at the MCG he failed to make an impact with WA holding out for a draw, eight wickets down.

His inability to make an impact on the final day is something that has plagued Lyon during his time at international level.

There is no doubt that the National Selection Panel will be hoping that is something that Lyon will overcome.

He moved from Adelaide to Sydney between seasons, no doubt eyeing the prospect of bowling on the traditionally spin-friendly SCG when not beneath the baggy green.

To date, Lyon has captured 85 wickets at 33.2 from 25 Tests, a respectable beginning to his international career.

He will turn 26 the day before the Brisbane Test, giving him plenty of time to continue to hone his craft although in recent times the selectors have sent him several messages that improvement is very much required.

After match figures of 4-244 off 52.3 overs in the opening Test against India at Chennai in February he was dropped for the next encounter at Hyderabad.

At the time, then coach Mickey Arthur cited a need to work ‘on a few things’ away from the cauldron of Test cricket, something Lyon questioned.

His time on the sidelines was short-lived as he was recalled for the third Test although wickets were hard to come by with his 36 overs producing figures of 1-151.

He closed out the series with a career best 7-94 in India’s first innings at Delhi before opening the bowling with Glen Maxwell in the second innings, capturing 2-71 as the home side chased down 155 to sweep the series 4-nil.

Lyon was then discarded again for the opening two Ashes Tests in England earlier this year in favour of teenage debutant Ashton Agar.

He replaced the left-armer for the third match at Manchester and played out the series with his three outings netting nine wickets at 33.7.

Interestingly, Lyon’s strike rate is worst in the final innings of Tests (75.6) – a problem he has to address.

At Adelaide last season against South Africa he bowled tightly on the final day – 50-31-49-3 – but he was unable to make the inroads required to prevent the Proteas from drawing the match.

Against Sri Lanka at Hobart in December he went wicket-less in the fourth innings – 32-12-57-0 – despite Australia winning by 137 runs after taking 119 overs to knock over the tourists.

Lyon has bowled 13 times in the fourth innings of a Test match for 16 wickets at 34.2.

His economy rate in the fourth innings (2.7) is the best across all innings but it is his inability to strike when required that is a concern.

All three of his five-wicket hauls have come on foreign soil, a fact that underlines the difficulty confronting off-spinners in this country.

Traditionally it has been wrist spinners who have proved most effective on Australian pitches with the likes of Shane Warne, Stuart MacGill and Anil Kumble getting the job done.

World record-holder Muttiah Muralitharan averaged 75.4 in Australia while Harbhajan Singh took his wickets at 73.2.

England’s Graeme Swann has fared better in his five Tests on Australian pitches but his average of 39.8 is well over his career mark of 28.6.

Off-spinners have seldom found it easy on Australian pitches, whether they be visitors or home grown.

It is one thing for Lyon to tie up an end late in a match but he must also contribute significantly in the wicket column.

Failure to do so will increase the prospects of Ahmed making his debut but at present it seems a way off.

He may have captured his 62 first-class wickets at 30.3 in his 19 matches but he needs to bring consistency to his game.

He has been blooded already in the limited-overs formats with three ODIs against England and Scotland (3-145 off 24 overs at 6.0) and two T20s (3-68 off six overs at 8.5).

On the recent Australia A tour to South Africa he captured 7-263 in the two unofficial Tests while he captured 2-165 in his two first-class matches against Ireland and Gloucestershire on the A Tour to the UK.

There is no doubting that the selectors would like to see some big hauls at Shield ranks this summer from Ahmed.

Until he does that, Lyon will likely remain the incumbent.

Another leg-spinner in the wings is Queensland’s Cameron Bruce who has played 24 first-class matches for 48 wickets at 41.2.

The 24-year-old starred for the Bulls last week with a career best 7-68 in South Australia’s second innings of 194.

Twenty-one year-old Adam Zampa has moved from New South Wales to South Australia where he picked up 2-113 in the opening Shield match.

He has played just the four first-class matches for 12 wickets at 29.3.

Both he and Boyce will be closely monitored by the selectors.

Lyon knows that an effective leggie in this country will always have the inside running.

To keep them at bay he has to become a regular wicket-taker – especially when it matters most.

First published on The Roar – theroar.com.au – on 7 November 2013