Nathan Lyon Enters the elite club of 500 Test wicket takers
Nathan Lyon, A veteran Australian player fondly known as Gazza joined the elite club of taking 500 wickets in Test format. The Australian off-spinner is the third Australian bowler to enter the legendary club after Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath. Nathan Lyon made this huge achievement on Sunday, December 17 by taking the wicket of Faheem Ashraf against Pakistan in his 123rd red ball cricket match. Australia enjoyed a 360-run victory against Pakistan in the Perth Stadium, Australia.
Lyon went through a calf strain during AUS vs ENG Test series
The 36-year-old off-spinner, Nathan Lyon made his Test debut in Sri Lanka in the year 2011 and dismissed Kumar Sangakkara with his first ball in the Test. Since then he has proved himself as an asset for the Australian squad with his extraordinary balling skills and gave the team a strong specialist off-spinner after Shane Warne’s retirement in 2006.
Nathon Lyon would have joined the 500 Test wickets club in the summer of this year but due to a calf injury, while he was playing the second Test against England in Lord’s, he could not make it through the mark and Todd Murphy replaced him in the Austraila’s playing XI. This helped England to fight back in the series leading to the draw of 2-2 in the Aus vs Eng series Test.
Nathan Lyon took the wicket of Faheem Ashraf
On day 4 of the Test series against Pakistan, Lyon had to take the help of the DRS to attain his 500th wicket against Faheem Ashraf’s LBW. The whole stadium celebrated his wicket as the DRS came in his favor and Lyon was mobbed by his teammates in Perth Stadium this Sunday. With his Excellent pacing skills, Michelle Starc took the early wickets of Pakistan’s openers. Then Hazelwood and Pat Cummins trapped the opposition by collapsing the middle order of the Pakistan Team. Nathan Lyon joined the club by taking two more wickets and became the 8th Bowler to join the elite club of 500 Test wickets in the AUS vs Pak Test series.
Earlier this year, Lyon became the first Australian specialist player to play 100 successive Test matches. He was 4 wickets away from his milestone achievement, which he took against Pakistan in this Test series with ease. Nathan Lyon said,” You are only three good innings away from the next level of cricket. So I had this mindset”. The off-spinner still in disbelief of his achievement says, “I still pinch myself when I see my name next to those guys.” quoted ESPNcricinfo. Pat Cummins ahead of Lyon’s milestone says that believes Lyon still has four or five years atleast in his hand. He can take 700 wickets in the future and become the leading wicket-taker of the country.
Indian off-spinner R.Ashwin congratulates the GOAT
Indian Right-arm off-spinner, R. Ashwin is currently 11 wickets away with the haul of 489 in his hand, from entering the same list as Nathan Lyon did. He took his social media handle and congratulated the Australian GOAT Lyon saying “8th bowler and only the 2nd off-spinner in the history to pick 500 Test wickets. Congrats mate.” Ahead of the series against Pakistan, Lyon praised R. Ashwin saying that he sees him as a coach and has learned a lot from him over the years watching his technique before playing matches against India. He said,“ You look at Ashwin, he’s a world-class bowler and somebody I’ve watched closely from the start of his career.” Quoted cricket.com.au
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