Has Mitchell Starc’s spell highlighted Nathan Lyon’s importance for Australia?
But Starc’s opening over, in which he batted 35-plus overs, perhaps served as a warning of how much of a burden Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are carrying in the injury absence.
Starc’s 56.5 overs in this series (claiming 18 wickets) account for roughly a third of Australia’s bowlers’ total.
A telling admission forced the recall of Nathan Lyon, even as Cummins declared on Fox Cricket commentary that he would feature in Adelaide’s third Test barring any disruptions.
Cummins revealed that he has been bowling well in his recovery from the spinal stress concern, but has yet to achieve it on consecutive days. If Starc is to be given some time, the captain will need to recover from the difficulties he has endured over five days and threaten England’s top order.
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Leading physical therapist Dr. “The first thing that happens, one way to explain it, is that you can get a ‘hot spot’ where the bone is not actually cracking but is pretty close to cracking,” Kevin Sims said earlier this summer.
“If you stop it and protect it and let them heal, the fracture won’t progress. If you keep doing that, it can quickly turn into a fracture.”
Cummins may be confident, but he can’t be sure his body will last through this conflict.
This brings us to Lyon.
Since Australia’s greatest off-spinner made his Test debut in 2011, 13 pacemen have donned the Baggy Green jersey. Seven of them have played fewer than five games, with the quartet of Starc, Cummins, Boland and Hazlewood showing consistency over the last four years.
According to Sims, whose career has spanned 20 years with Cricket Australia and Queensland Cricket, Lyon’s unprecedented fitness and ability to get a result was a key factor in that consistency.
Nathan Lyon was disappointed not to take part in the second Test.Credit: Getty Images
Having scored just two points in Perth’s opening test, Lyon were left dirty in axing the day-night Gabba Test in favor of an all-ace attack, but it did earn Neser a third cap he feared would not come after tearing his hamstring last season.
Starc could receive a reprieve given he has scored just one over 400 in four Sheffield Shield contests at the Adelaide Oval this summer.
But with three Tests remaining after Sunday’s fourth day in Brisbane, securing the star quickly is a must. Lyon could be the key to this.
“Everyone has a ceiling,” Sims said.
“HE [Lyon] He can bowl large amounts and allows fast bowlers to vary their spells and that way there will always be some opportunity for recovery.
“That’s what all the really good teams in the world have, someone they can rely on. He’s been crucial to the longevity of Australia’s attack.”
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