Nathan Lyon was assisted off the field shortly after Tea on the second day of the Lord’s Ashes Test with a suspected calf injury, dealing a blow to Australia. After attempting a catch at fine-leg, the master offspinner drew up uncomfortable and did not play again that day, with the visitors now fearing the worst regarding his participation in the remainder of this series.
Ironically, this is Lyon’s 100th consecutive match for Australia, a testament to his consistency and ditermination over the years.
“I haven’t been up in the sheds yet, but obviously it didn’t look good. It doesn’t look ideal for the rest of the game,” Steve Smith told reporters at the end of the day’s play. “I’m not sure how he actually is. But obviously if he’s no good, it’s a big loss for us.
“He’s in his 100th consecutive Test match, which I know he was really looking forward to taking part in and having a role in as well. Fingers crossed he’s OK, but it didn’t look good.”
Given the context of the Ashes series, references were made to 2005, when Glenn McGrath injured his ankle before the start of the second Ashes Test in Birmingham, a game that England won and leveled the series before clinching it in Nottingham. Steve Smith also mentioned the concussion he suffered in 2019, which prevented him from playing in the famous Leeds Test, which England won in dramatic circumstances to level the series.
“For batters I suppose there’s loads of us around, so it’s a bit different,” Smith said reflecting on his absence from the Headingley Test four years ago. “It’s not ideal, particularly your spin bowler. But Nathan, if he’s no good, he’d be a huge loss.”
Pat Cummins went to Travis Head in the absence of Lyon, who was in the midst of a spell at the time of his injury, and was able to receive five economical overs from the part-timer. However, if overnight scans and evaluations indicate a prolonged absence for Lyon, the visitors may be compelled to insert Todd Murphy into the lineup. In the words of Smith, the 22-year-old Victorian has maintained his form and cadence in the nets since his breakthrough debut series in India earlier this year.
The injury to Lyon could have additional repercussions on how the delicately poised Test unfolds over the next three days. Without a holding offspinner operating from one end and enabling the quicks to rotate from the other, the duties of Australia’s fast bowlers would be significantly increased by their adoption of a short-ball strategy.
“It’s a huge shame and I really hope it’s not too bad for him. You never want to see anyone go down with an injury. We all wish him the best,” Ben Duckett, who fell two shorts of a century to the short ball. “He was going to play a massive part in that fourth innings, he’s such a good bowler. It will be interesting to see how they go about it.
“If they keep going bumpers with all four bowlers, I think they’ll be quite tired by the end of it, especially with back-to-back Tests. Travis bowled all right tonight, so maybe he will bowl a bit.”
