MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – Australia coach Darren Lehmann has turned the blowtorch on Nathan Lyon, saying the spinner had not “delivered” in second innings spells to drive the test team to victory.
An orthodox spinner who rarely strays from his stock off-breaks, Lyon will be under pressure to perform in the United Arab Emirates next month when Australia take on Pakistan in a two-test series.
“It’s a hard time because the last day of a game you expect him to win the game,” Lehmann said of the 26-year-old in quotes published by News Ltd yesterday.
“He’s bowled well in the first innings of test matches but when it’s come to the crunch he hasn’t delivered as he would have liked or we would like,” he added.
“He knows that, he’s worked really hard on that. It’s about putting good balls in the right spot more often. If he improves that aspect of his game his record would be outstanding.”
Though Lyon has captured 112 wickets from 33 tests at an average just under 33, he has long lived in the shadow of retired leg-spinner Shane Warne and never quite been able to silence his critics with a virtuoso match-winning performance.
Australia have kept the faith, however, and employed retired test wicket record holder Muttiah Muralitharan as a spin consultant in June to help Lyon develop his craft.
MARSH POISED
Australia are likely to need a big contribution from Lyon in the United Arab Emirates, where placid wickets and heat are likely to prove taxing on pacemen.
Though the injury-prone Shane Watson will miss the tour with a calf problem, Australia would definitely play an all-rounder, Lehmann said, backing 22-year-old Mitchell Marsh to make his test debut.
Marsh and Glenn Maxwell will have a chance to audition for the vacant all rounder spot in a tour match ahead of the first test in Dubai on Oct. 22.
“You would probably think so,” Lehmann told reporters in Melbourne on Sunday of a possible debut for Marsh.
“He’s certainly done everything right from our point of view… He’s a young kid and he’s got a bright future. We wouldn’t pick him if we didn’t think he was up to it, same with Glenn Maxwell.”
Lehmann also backed captain Michael Clarke to recover from a hamstring strain in time for the first test and expected paceman Mitchell Johnson, recovering from a rib injury, to be fit for one-day matches against Pakistan ahead of the test series.
“I think (Clarke) will be right, he’ll play the tour match to give him a hit and we’ll look after him and make sure he’s right for the test match,” Lehmann said.
