A look back at some of his standout performances after he became the third Australian to 500 Test wickets
Andrew McGlashan10-Dec-2021 • Updated on 17-Dec-20235 for 34 vs Sri Lanka, Galle, 2011It couldn’t have started much better. First ball in Test cricket, a beautiful, dipping offspinner which then gripped and turned to find the edge of Kumar Sangakkara’s bat and was safely held at slip by Michael Clarke. “I was so full of excitement,” he said on the day. “I wouldn’t say it was the perfect ball, I thought it was a bit wide, but I was quite happy with it in the end.” Lyon would transform it into a five-wicket haul, albeit with a helping hand from Sri Lanka’s lower order, and would later take the scalp to seal victory.Related
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5 for 134 and 7 for 152 vs India, Adelaide, 2014The most emotionally charged Test Australia have ever played, coming shortly after the death of Phillip Hughes. It was a game dominated by the bat and Lyon was the difference with the ball. India attacked him in both innings – Virat Kohli with a pair of brilliant hundreds – but Lyon kept finding a way through. He took out the middle order in the first innings to earn a handy lead and then, for the first time in his career, was the final-innings matchwinner. At 242 for 2, India sensed a famous victory but Lyon trapped Murali Vijay for 99 then had Ajinkya Rahane caught a short leg (although there was no bat). Less than 20 overs later this Test was over.Nice Garry: Nathan Lyon holds the ball up after claiming 8 for 50•AFP8 for 50 vs India, Bengaluru, 2017This haul remains Lyon’s best figures in Test cricket although they would come in defeat as India’s spinners, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, had the final say. Still, it was a remarkable opening-day display from Lyon as India fell from 72 for 1 to 189 all out after he had removed Cheteshwar Pujara shortly before lunch then soon after pinned Kohli lbw when he shouldered arms. “I don’t know if they’re going to spin or go straight, so if I don’t know neither does the batter really,” he said.Lyon finished with a 13-for in the Chattogram Test of 2017, his best in the format•Getty Images7 for 94 and 6 for 60 vs Bangladesh, Chattogram, 2017Later the same year, Lyon enjoyed a bountiful tour of Bangladesh capped by the best match haul of his career. And it came at a moment where Australia desperately needed it having lost the first Test in Dhaka by 20 runs. It’s a good quiz question to name the Australia XI that took the field in Chattogram (no cheating) but suffice to say Lyon opened the bowling. In the first innings he removed Bangladesh’s top four lbw then with a useful lead to work with skittled them for 157 in the second – his 10th wicket of the game a lovely piece of bowling to get the key scalp of Shakib Al Hasan.2 for 78 and 3 for 67 vs England, Brisbane, 2017An overall match tally of five wickets may not leap off the page, but this was a classy performance from Lyon which was key to the early stranglehold Australia took on the Ashes. He conceded just 2.41 runs an over throughout the Test and the first-innings display where he sent down 36 overs was a textbook example of the role a spinner needs to play in the early stages of a Test in Australia. He set his sights on Moeen Ali and never let go, produced a ripper to spin through Chris Woakes on the second day and harassed England’s other left-handers. And, of course, there was run out as well.5 for 67 and 3 for 39 vs India, Perth, 2018He was Player of the Match in Australia’s first Test victory post the ball-tampering scandal as he made terrific use of the bounce available on the Optus Stadium surface. His first-innings haul secured a precious lead and after Australia had battled for every run on a spicey pitch he helped seal the game, bowling Vijay through the gate and then having the key man – Kohli – caught at slip. “Every team wants a spinner like Nathan Lyon,” Tim Paine said. “He loves bowling to the best players in the world.”Lyon picked up the 350th wicket of his Test career in Edgbaston in 2019•Getty Images3 for 112 and 6 for 69 vs England, Edgbaston, 2019The match will be remembered for Steven Smith’s spectacular twin hundreds on his return to Test cricket, but Lyon’s nine wickets were a crucial part of a win that would set-up Australia’s retention of the urn. In the first innings he dented England’s hopes of a more substantial lead and with a big target to defend on the final day – on a surface by now offering assistance – Lyon worked through England’s flimsy batting order. His wicket of Ben Stokes was the 350th of his Test career.5 for 68 and 5 for 50 vs New Zealand, Sydney, 2020A landmark occasion for Lyon on his home ground, a venue that had not often been kind to him. It was a lop-sided contest against a New Zealand side badly hit by injury and illness, but Lyon battled through an injured thumb after he had dropped a return catch. “It’s quite special to go up on the honours board and take five wickets at your home, in front of your family and friends, and to take five at one of your favourite venues from around the world,” he said. The match return of 10 for 118 was the best by an Australia spinner against New Zealand.Nathan Lyon helped Australia to a famous victory in Pakistan•AFP/Getty Images5 for 83 vs Pakistan, Lahore, 2022Australia had been denied the game before by the rearguard of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, but didn’t let a second opportunity slip and secured a famous series win in Pakistan. At the start of the final day they needed all 10 Pakistan second-innings wickets. About an hour into the day, Lyon got to work got when he removed Azhar Ali and later added the stubborn Imam-ul-Haq for 70 off 199 balls. But the moment that really made Australia believe came when Lyon had Babar caught at slip by Smith and the lower order swiftly followed.3 for 35 and 8 for 50 vs India, Indore 2023In a helter-skelter Test that barely made the third day, Lyon earned himself a new career-best haul when he ran through India’s second innings to enable Australia to claw back a game after they had thrown away the advantage in Delhi. The highlight was his absorbing battle with Cheteshwar Pujara who played superbly on a spiteful surface before tickling Lyon to leg slip where Smith, who was captaining in the absence of Pat Cummins, held a wonderful catch. “Certainly, it’s up there as one of my career highlights,” he said.4 for 149 and 4 for 80 vs England, Edgbaston, 2023This was a very different sort of challenge for Lyon, with England’s Bazballers trying to hit him out of the attack. In the first innings he conceded more than five an over, but the wickets of Ollie Pope, Harry Brook and Jonny Bairstow were vital – especially the latter with England 297 for 5. In the second innings he was superb, managing to go at a little over three an over. Luring Joe Root down the crease was a critical moment in the game as England tried to build their lead. And then, at the finish, he was there with the bat.