Cricket

Nathan Lyon, Australia's premier off-spinner, is eager to utilize the insights he gained from England's Tom Hartley during his stint with Lancashire to counter India's formidable batting lineup later this year. Australia has not claimed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy since 2014-15, and Lyon is determined to rectify that.Lyon acknowledges India's exceptional talent pool, highlighting opener Yashasvi Jaiswal as a rising star. However, he has also sought knowledge from Hartley, who has faced Jaiswal in county cricket. Lyon believes these conversations will provide valuable information on how to approach the Indian batters."I haven't come across him [Jaiswal] yet, but that will be a massive challenge for all us bowlers," Lyon said. "The way he played against England, I watched that quite closely and thought that was quite amazing. I had some really good chats with Tom Hartley about different ways he went about it to different guys which I found quite interesting."Lyon's county experience has not only benefited his preparation for India but also for next year's Ashes. He recognizes that the knowledge he has acquired could be reciprocated by Hartley, but he remains confident that the insights will prove valuable."If the plans we've spoken about come to true, then I think it will be," Lyon added.Josh Hazlewood, another survivor from the 2014-15 series, echoed Lyon's sentiments. He acknowledged Australia's recent struggles against India and emphasized the importance of winning at home."There are quite a few players who have never beaten India in a Test series. It's quite astounding to say that," Hazlewood said. "That's one we need to tick off, definitely, in particular at home - we should pretty much win every series here at home."The five Tests against India will also play a crucial role in shaping the race for the World Test Championship final at Lord's in June 2025. Australia is aiming to defend their title, and Hazlewood, who missed last year's final, is particularly motivated."It's always in the background, we have the table up [to see] where we are sitting and what we need to tick off," he said. "For me, it's a big one because I didn't get to play the last one in England so that's a burning one for me."

Legendary Australian spinner Nathan Lyon has expressed his astonishment at the impending retirement of England pace veteran James Anderson, hailing him as the "best ever" fast bowler to grace the sport.Ahead of his final international match on July 10 against West Indies, Anderson has sent out a warning with a devastating seven-wicket haul against Nottinghamshire in the County Championship. Lyon, speaking on the Lancashire Cricket Website, praised Anderson's class and skillset, particularly in English conditions."He showed his class. No disrespect to the other bowlers in this game, but you can see the class of Jimmy and the extra zip he gets off the wicket," Lyon said. "I have said this before, I am very much surprised that England have tapped him on the shoulder. He is class, he is world-class. He's probably the best to ever play the game as a fast bowler."Lyon also shared his unusual experience of encouraging Anderson, his former international rival, as a teammate in the County Championship. "I have obviously seen it on the other side. We had a little moment when we said it feels a bit sick for me to say 'Come on Jimmy' and him saying 'nice Garry'. That was a bit different, but it is the beauty of county cricket I guess and it is pretty special to play with arguably the greatest bowler to ever play the game."Anderson's dominance in the County Championship Division One game was evident as he dismissed six of Nottinghamshire's top seven batters for single-digit scores, reducing them to 40/6. His economy rate of 2.18 and three maiden overs showcased his authority and class.Despite his age, Anderson remains a vital part of the England setup. England men's managing director, Rob Key, confirmed that Anderson will continue as a mentor following his retirement from international cricket."Jimmy will continue in our set-up, and he will help as a bit more of a mentor," Key said. "We're trying to set up an elite coach development programme, which Jimmy wants to do, but we will have a look at the end of the summer."Anderson's final Test match will be played at The Lord's on July 10, marking the end of an illustrious career that has seen him take 700 wickets in 187 Tests.

Nathan Lyon, the veteran Australian spinner, has made his predictions for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, and he believes that Australia and Pakistan will face off in the final. In a recent video, Lyon was asked to name the two teams he expects to reach the summit clash, and he毫不犹豫地选择了澳大利亚。Lyon admitted that he was biased towards Australia, but he also believes that Pakistan has a strong chance of making it to the final. He cited the quality of Pakistan's spinners and the presence of star batter Babar Azam as reasons for his prediction."For the T20 finals team, Australia obviously because I'm quite biased towards them. I think it will be I'm going to go with Pakistan. In those conditions, quality spin bowlers, but also electric batters like Babar Azam," Lyon said in a video shared by Prime Video Sports Australia.Lyon also predicted that this year's tournament could see a team posting the highest total in T20I history. He also backed Australia's T20I skipper Mitchell Marsh to have a brilliant tournament."I think early on in the tournament we may see the highest score in T20. I'm going to go, Mitchell Marsh, I think the power that he has with the bat but also the skill he has with the ball in hand as well. So, go well Mitch," he added.Lyon's predictions are in line with those of several other experts. Ambati Rayudu, Brian Lara, Paul Collingwood, Sunil Gavaskar, Chris Morris, Matthew Hayden, Aaron Finch, Mohammad Kaif, Tom Moody, and S Sreesanth have all picked India as one of the semi-finalists.

Kent's Daniel Bell-Drummond guided his team to a resounding seven-wicket victory over Lancashire in the Vitality County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford. The Kent skipper's unbeaten 79 steered his side to their target of 164, securing their first win on the ground since 1997.Lancashire's bowlers, led by Nathan Lyon and Tom Hartley, posed a significant challenge to Kent's batters. However, the Kent top order remained resilient, keeping the scoreboard ticking over despite the difficult batting conditions. Lyon eventually dismissed Ben Compton for 29 and Jack Leaning for 16, but these wickets failed to derail Kent's momentum.Bell-Drummond's partnership with Compton had laid the foundation for Kent's victory, and he continued to anchor the innings with aplomb. Joe Denly struck the winning four to finish on 19 not out, completing Kent's first win of the season.Lyon finished with figures of 2 for 48 from 22 overs, while Hartley bowled 13 wicketless overs for 42 runs. The victory lifts Kent to sixth in the First Division table, while Lancashire remain winless and bottom of the pile.

Nathan Lyon's County Championship stint with Lancashire has been capped at seven games by Cricket Australia (CA), a decision that has drawn criticism from former players and commentators. Lyon, 36, had initially signed to play the entire 2024 season across all three formats, but discussions with selectors reduced his stint to the first half of the season and red-ball cricket only.Lyon expressed disappointment at the restrictions, while Lancashire was further frustrated when the first game of the season was washed out, leaving Lyon with just two overs bowled. CA's high-performance team, led by selectors and the Sport Science Sport Medicine (SSSM) team, carefully monitors the total number of first-class matches senior players participate in to prevent injuries.Lyon played 12 first-class matches in the 2022-23 summer, including a tour of India where he had a heavy workload. After bowling 53 overs in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston, he tore his calf badly in the first innings at Lord's, which changed the trajectory of the series. The selectors became acutely aware of Lyon's importance to the side as they did not win another Test in the series in his absence.Former Test captain Michael Clarke questioned CA's decision, saying it "doesn't make sense" for Lyon to return home for pre-season when Australia's next Test match is not until November 22. Clarke believes Lyon would benefit from playing more cricket rather than doing a pre-season that could lead to injuries.Former Australia batter Callum Ferguson also criticized the decision, saying he would like to see Lyon get the opportunity to play the full season if he thinks it's best for his career. Ferguson believes it would leave Lyon in better shape for the next Ashes series.CA's chair of selectors George Bailey said the decision was made with the next summer in mind, where Australia is set to play seven Tests in less than three months. Bailey emphasized that the decision is not necessarily made for every player.

Cricket Australia's (CA) decision to limit Nathan Lyon's availability for Lancashire has sparked controversy and raised questions about the balance between international and domestic cricket.Lyon, Australia's premier off-spinner, was initially set to play in all formats for Lancashire during the 2024 County Championship season. However, CA has intervened, restricting him to only seven of the first nine Championship fixtures. This move is intended to manage Lyon's workload ahead of Australia's home Test series against India later this year.Lancashire's director of cricket, Mark Chilton, expressed disappointment but acknowledged the club's excitement about Lyon's partial availability. He emphasized Lyon's commitment to Lancashire and his potential to support the team's goals.The decision has raised concerns about the impact on Tom Hartley, a promising young off-spinner who could be affected by Lyon's presence. England coach Brendon McCullum has questioned the wisdom of blocking Hartley's development opportunities.Lancashire captain Keaton Jennings acknowledged the "really tough situation" but emphasized the potential benefits of Lyon's experience for Hartley. He believes Hartley can learn from Lyon and contribute significantly to Lancashire's success.Meanwhile, Lancashire is exploring options to secure a replacement overseas player for the T20 Blast and One-Day Cup. The club is actively engaged in discussions to find a suitable candidate.CA's decision highlights the ongoing tension between international and domestic cricket. While it is understandable that CA wants to prioritize Lyon's fitness and performance for the national team, it also raises questions about the impact on county cricket and the development of young players.

Nathan Lyon, Australia's premier off-spinner, has expressed admiration for the performances of England's inexperienced spinners in India, despite their 4-1 series defeat. Lyon, who will join forces with one of those spinners, Tom Hartley, at Lancashire for the upcoming county season, believes that Hartley, Shoaib Bashir, and Rehan Ahmed have shown great promise.Hartley, who played in all five Tests, impressed with 22 wickets at an average of 36.13, including a stunning 7 for 62 on debut in Hyderabad. Bashir, who arrived late due to visa issues, claimed 17 wickets at 33.35, including a maiden five-wicket haul in Dharamsala.Lyon, who closely followed the India-England series, praised the trio's resilience in facing a formidable Indian batting lineup. He believes that Bashir, in particular, has the potential to be successful in Australia due to his ability to spin the ball over the back."All three of them stood out for me," Lyon said. "They had a tough introduction to Test cricket, but they showed great character. I'm looking forward to playing with Tom and learning from his experiences as a left-arm orthodox spinner."Lyon also acknowledged the upcoming Ashes series in Australia in 2025-26, where England will aim to win down under for the first time since 2010-11. While there is speculation about potential retirements in the Australian team, Lyon believes that the current group can continue playing for several more years."We're definitely getting closer to the end, but we're still doing the hard work and preparing well," Lyon said. "There's no reason why we can't keep playing for three to four or five years. The skill is always going to be there, and Pat Cummins understands the importance of managing our bowlers."

Nathan Lyon's words may have expressed optimism, but his body language and tone hinted at a different story as Australia faces an uphill battle to salvage the second Test against New Zealand at Hagley Oval.Trailing by 279 runs, Australia stumbled to 34 for 4 in their pursuit of victory. Lyon, once again tasked with the nightwatchman role, was not required to bat as Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh guided the team to stumps without further loss. However, the task remains daunting, with 202 runs still needed and only six wickets in hand.Despite the precarious position, Lyon maintained Australia's belief in their ability to pull off a remarkable escape. "It would be a great Test match win if we're able to pick this off," he said. "There's a lot of belief in that change room... we can win from any position."Lyon pointed to Australia's successful chase of 282 at Edgbaston in the Ashes last year, where he and Pat Cummins shared an unbeaten 55-run stand for the ninth wicket. However, such high-scoring fourth-innings chases are rare for Australia, with only 13 successful instances and only two since 2006.Lyon's words of confidence were somewhat contradicted by his demeanor. Just days earlier, he had exuded optimism in Wellington, declaring that Australia would create the necessary chances to win. In Christchurch, his tone was more subdued, his body language suggesting a different reality.Lyon admitted to feeling nervous as the nightwatchman, a role he has been forced to play twice in this series. "Too often I seem to be batting in the top six," he said. "Happy to do the role but it's nice that I didn't have to walk out there tonight."While Lyon refrained from direct criticism of his batting group, his tone hinted at frustration. "It's not a frustration. I think it's a learning curve for us," he said. "We're on a path... to become one of Australia's great cricket teams."Lyon's words reflect the challenges facing an aging Australian team, with nine of the 11 members over the age of 30. While victory at Hagley Oval remains a possibility, the team's actions and words currently seem out of sync.

New Zealand vs Australia 2nd Test Day 2 Live Updates: Australia Aim to Extend Lead with Labuschagne and Lyon at the CreaseThe second Test between New Zealand and Australia at Hagley Oval in Christchurch witnessed a thrilling opening day, with 14 wickets falling and Australia gaining the upper hand. Paceman Josh Hazlewood's five-wicket haul restricted New Zealand to 229, while Australia ended the day at 124 for 4, thanks to Marnus Labuschagne's unbeaten 45.Resuming on Saturday, Labuschagne and night-watchman Nathan Lyon will look to extend Australia's lead. Labuschagne, who has been in impressive form throughout the series, will be key to Australia's hopes of building a substantial total. Lyon, known for his resilience and ability to bat in difficult situations, will provide valuable support.New Zealand, on the other hand, will be eager to make early inroads and regain control of the match. Tim Southee, who took three wickets on Day 1, will be the main threat for the hosts. Trent Boult and Neil Wagner will also be looking to make an impact with their pace and aggression.The pitch at Hagley Oval has shown signs of uneven bounce and seam movement, making it a challenging surface for both batters and bowlers. The weather forecast for Day 2 is favorable, with clear skies and no rain expected.With the series level at 0-0, both teams will be desperate for a win in Christchurch. Australia will be aiming to take a 1-0 lead, while New Zealand will be determined to bounce back and level the series.