Nathan Lyon
- Date of Birth 1987-11-20
- Role bowler
- Batting Style right-hand bat
- Bowling Style right-arm offbreak
Debut Matches
| Format | Match | Date |
|---|---|---|
| TEST | AUS vs SL | 2011-08-31 |
| ODI | AUS vs SL | 2012-03-08 |
| T20 | IND vs AUS | 2016-01-29 |
Recent Performances
Batting Statistics
Matches
140
Innings
178
Runs
1642
Average
12.72
Strike Rate
50.64
Highest Score
47
100s
0
50s
0
Fours
205
Sixes
14
Catches
64
Bowling Statistics
Matches
140
Innings
260
Wickets
562
Average
30.16
Economy
2.94
Strike Rate
61.4
Best Figure
8/50
4 Wickets
26
5 Wickets
24
Balls Bowled
34514
Runs Conceded
16952
Batting Statistics
Matches
29
Innings
14
Runs
77
Average
19.25
Strike Rate
92.77
Highest Score
30
100s
0
50s
0
Fours
7
Sixes
2
Catches
7
Bowling Statistics
Matches
29
Innings
29
Wickets
29
Average
46
Economy
4.92
Strike Rate
56
Best Figure
4/44
4 Wickets
1
5 Wickets
0
Balls Bowled
1626
Runs Conceded
1334
Batting Statistics
Matches
2
Innings
1
Runs
4
Average
-
Strike Rate
100
Highest Score
4*
100s
0
50s
0
Fours
0
Sixes
0
Catches
0
Bowling Statistics
Matches
2
Innings
2
Wickets
1
Average
48
Economy
9.6
Strike Rate
30
Best Figure
1/33
4 Wickets
0
5 Wickets
0
Balls Bowled
30
Runs Conceded
48
Batting Statistics
Matches
81
Innings
39
Runs
240
Average
12.63
Strike Rate
99.58
Highest Score
37*
100s
0
50s
0
Fours
22
Sixes
8
Catches
35
Bowling Statistics
Matches
81
Innings
79
Wickets
90
Average
39.41
Economy
4.91
Strike Rate
48.1
Best Figure
4/10
4 Wickets
4
5 Wickets
0
Balls Bowled
4333
Runs Conceded
3547
Batting Statistics
Matches
51
Innings
18
Runs
60
Average
5.45
Strike Rate
93.75
Highest Score
11
100s
0
50s
0
Fours
4
Sixes
0
Catches
15
Bowling Statistics
Matches
51
Innings
49
Wickets
57
Average
21.87
Economy
7.34
Strike Rate
17.8
Best Figure
5/23
4 Wickets
1
5 Wickets
1
Balls Bowled
1018
Runs Conceded
1247
An offspinner whose work as a curator took him from Canberra to Adelaide, Nathan Lyon completed a remarkable rise when he was picked in Australia's Test squad in July 2011. The previous year, he had taken up a job on the Adelaide Oval groundstaff, and his bowling talent was spotted by South Australia's Big Bash coach Darren Berry. Lyon impressed in T20s for the state, made his first-class debut, and within seven months was a Test cricketer.
A classical offspinner who flights the ball and looks for wickets, Lyon struck with his first delivery in Test cricket when he had Kumar Sangakkara caught at slip in Galle. It was part of a haul of 5 for 34 and the beginning of a career that would end Australia's cycle of churning through Test spinners in the post-Warne era. By 2015, Lyon had become Australia's most successful Test offspinner of all time, passing Hugh Trumble's tally of 141 wickets, and he was affectionately nicknamed by his teammates as the GOAT - greatest of all time - as a result. Many more milestones followed. In 2023, against Pakistan in Perth, he joined the rare air of the 500 club.
However, Lyon's career was not without bumps along the way. In 2013 he was dropped from the Test team twice, first in India after he was attacked by MS Dhoni in the first Test in Chennai, and then for the first two Tests of the Ashes tour of England. The Ashes axing was especially galling for Lyon, given that he had taken nine wickets in his previous Test, the fourth and final Test of the Indian tour in Delhi, and he was overlooked for the uncapped teenager Ashton Agar. By the third Test, Lyon was rightfully back in the side and continued to be a consistent performer. He did not miss another Test until being injured in the 2023 Ashes at Lord's, having brought up 100 consecutive appearances.
In late 2021, against England at the Gabba, he came just the third Australia to take 400 Test wickets leaving only Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne ahead of him. It was a more fitting moment than the 300th wicket three years earlier against South Africa at Newlands which was largely missed in the aftermath of the ball-tampering scandal. He has claimed two eight wickets in India: a career-best 8 for 15 in Bengaluru in 2017 and 8 for 64 in Indore in 2023.
Despite first making his name in T20, Lyon has generally been considered by the national selectors a Test-only prospect - his limited batting often making him a tricky fit in the eleven - although did make the 2019 ODI World Cup squad. He is an excellent fielder and his direct hit to run out James Vince at the Gabba in 2017-18 Ashes was a key moment on the opening day of the series.
ESPNcricinfo staff
ESPNcricinfo staff