Just like the late great Shane Warne’s magical 700th wicket, Aussie spinner Nathan Lyon has reached a significant milestone in an Ashes Test with a peach of a delivery.
Lyon on Thursday afternoon jumped into second place – behind Warne – on the list of all-time Australian Test wicket-takers during the first session of the third Test against England.
The veteran tweaker, who’d only just returned to the Australian line-up after being left out of the second Test in Brisbane, produced a “perfect off-spinner”, per Aussie keeper Alyssa Healy, to England opener Ben Duckett, getting the ball to drift then spin pass Duckett’s bat to dismiss him bowled for 29.
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It was Lyon’s 564th Test wicket, passing McGrath on 563. Only Warne (708) has claimed more scalps as an Australian than Lyon, who’s now moved into outright sixth place on the all-time Test wicket-taker’s list.
Fittingly, Lyon’s significant dismissal came at Adelaide Oval – the ground he was a curator at before becoming a full-time cricketer. A plaque celebrating Lyon’s match-winning 12-wicket haul against India in 2014 at the same ground was only unveiled a few days ago, too.
“You think all those years ago when he was sitting on the roller here at Adelaide Oval – and now he’s gone past the great Glenn McGrath for Test wickets for Australia. What an achievement,” former Aussie quick Brett Lee said on Kayo Sports’ live Ashes coverage.
The Duckett wicket came just three deliveries after Lyon dismissed England No.3 Ollie Pope, thanks to a sharp catch by Josh Inglis at short mid-wicket.
“Two in a row for Lyon, outstanding entry,” legendary Aussie wicketkeeper Gilchrist said on Kayo Sports’ live Ashes coverage.
“Duckett goes, he looks a bit perplexed, a bit bedazzled but Australia celebrate. Nathan Lyon is now Australia’s second-highest Test wicket taker.
“What a list of names there. We’ve been made to wait significantly longer than we’d all thought to have a shot at getting above McGrath, but it took no time at all when he had that chance”
Healy dubbed it “the perfect off-spinner”.
“A little bit of drift into the left-hander, didn’t do a whole lot off the surface, just gripped enough, got Ben Duckett playing down the wrong line and hit the top of off-stump,” she said.
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“You can see how much it meant to him when he had that chance. He gets excited when he gets wickets, but he charged off and almost did a lap around the ground high-fiving everybody. You can see what it means to him.”
Fox Cricket cameras then focused their attention on Glenn McGrath in a radio commentary box, with the former superstar quick cheekily pretending to slam his chair on the floor after being usurped by Lyon on the wickets list.
McGrath then paid tribute to Lyon.
“What a bowler. Nathan Lyon deserves to get that,” McGrath said on BBC Test Match Special.
“You wondered what impact Nathan Lyon was going to have in this game. First over, and that was a gem of a ball.”
Lyon made his Test debut for Australia at Galle in 2011, with legendary Sri Lanka batter Kumar Sangakkara his first wicket. The off-spinner has since been a mainstay of the Australian Test side.
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