On Day 2 of the Wellington Test against New Zealand, Nathan Lyon continued to enhance his already stellar reputation and legacy as an off-spinner for Australia. Lyon’s exceptional performance saw him claim a fantastic burst of 4 for 43, significantly contributing to Australia’s dominance in the opening game of the two-match Test series.
His relentless bowling efforts played a pivotal role in Australia securing a substantial first-innings lead of 204 runs, as they posted a formidable total of 383 all out. Lyon’s crafty off-spin nearly resulted in yet another five-wicket haul, further cementing his status as a modern-day legend in Australian cricket.
The 36 year old off-spinner made key breakthroughs by dismissing well-set batters Tom Blundell (33) and Matt Henry (42), before swiftly wrapping up the innings by removing tailenders Tim Southee and William O’Rourke.
Nathan Lyon’s Milestone Achievement:
Lyon achieved a significant milestone during the match by surpassing West Indies’ legendary fast bowler Courtney Walsh to become the seventh highest wicket taker in Test cricket history. With the dismissal of Southee, Lyon reached a total of 521 wickets in his 128th Test match, overtaking Walsh’s tally of 519 scalps.
He now joins an elite club of only nine bowlers who have taken 500 or more wickets in Test cricket. Despite primarily playing on challenging pitches in Australia, Lyon boasts an impressive bowling average of 30.57 and has registered an impressive 23 five-wicket hauls.
In the esteemed list of Test match legends, Lyon currently sits behind only Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, James Anderson, Anil Kumble, Stuart Broad, and Glenn McGrath in terms of total wickets taken.
Leave a Reply