Ashes 2023: Nathan Lyon’s series over as Todd Murphy firms to return

Australia coach Andrew McDonald has all but guaranteed Todd Murphy will come into Australia’s side for the third Test, with Nathan Lyon’s calf issue a big blow to the Australians.

Australian coach Andrew McDonald has all but guaranteed Todd Murphy will come into Australia’s side for the third Test, with Nathan Lyon officially ruled out of the Ashes with a serious calf tear.

Off-spinner Murphy, who played all four Tests in India earlier this year during his debut series, is poised to be picked with Australia unlikely to go down England’s path on all-seam attack following Lyon’s injury while fielding on day two of the Lord’s Test.

McDonald said Lyon – who inspirationally batted in Australia’s second innings of the second Test – would not play again this series.

“I think officially he will be out of the series,” McDonald said.

“We’ll take some time to decide that but it’s not looking good at the moment. It’s a significant tear and it will be series-ending.”

Nathan Lyon resorted to using crutches after his efforts at the crease in Australia’s second innings. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

The Aussies were due to head to Leeds on Monday for a Test beginning Thursday, and while McDonald retained a hint of equivocation he indicated Victorian Murphy would be a straight swap for Lyon in the Aussie XI.

“Too early to tell. Short turnaround, we’ll assess where everyone’s at and assess the surface and weather conditions up there,” McDonald said.

“But Todd is pretty well placed. We like to have a spinner in our attack, it’s a different balance, and as you saw (at Lord’s) at certain times we had to do it differently without Nathan Lyon down the other end which we’ve been so used to. So at times it looked a bit chaotic so we do like to have that spin option in the attack.”

Scott Boland will also come under consideration after being dropped for the second Test, with the workload of the injury-prone Josh Hazlewood a factor.

Murphy shapes as the best bowling replacement for Lyon should McDonald elect to take a spin option. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

England has meanwhile cut paceman Matthew Potts and leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed from its squad for Headingley, with Ollie Pope remaining in a 15-man squad despite the shoulder injury that sidelined him at times during the Lord’s clash.

Spare batter Dan Lawrence remains in England’s squad.

McDonald praised Mitchell Starc, who took 6-167 at Lord’s after being bypassed for the first Test at Edgbaston. In particular McDonald noted Starc’s ability to stick to the short-pitched bowling plan that was a theme of both teams’ games on a benign wicket at the home of cricket.

“Starcy does bowl short balls at times, but haven’t seen him commit to a barrage like that for any time in his career so thought he was outstanding,” McDonald said.

“And that’s the thing that shouldn’t be taken away from the bowling units as well, the execution of the bouncer. We are talking about bowling bouncers but if you get it wrong the scoreboard can run and never seen a game where the scoreboard didn’t run with a bouncer tactic, so full credit to both bowling units.”

McDonald ‘disappointed’ by McCullum comments

– Daniel Cherny in London

Australian coach Andrew McDonald says he is disappointed in comments made by England counterpart Brendon McCullum who suggested the two teams were unlikely to socialise in the short-term following the controversial Jonny Bairstow dismissal on day five at Lord’s.

The Aussies’ decision to appeal for the removal of Bairstow after he crept out of his crease while batting in England’s run chase was an instant flashpoint, with England captain Ben Stokes claiming he would have withdrawn an appeal had Australia been batting.

Speaking on the BBC about relations between the two sides, McCullum said: “I can’t imagine we’ll be having a beer any time soon.”

McCullum had been quick to praise the injured Nathan Lyon for his turn at the crease earlier in the Test. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

McDonald did not take kindly to McCullum’s remarks.

“Haven’t spoken to him, heard that comment for the first time, and somewhat disappointed by that,” McDonald said.

The Aussie coach said his side had been aware of Bairstow’s tendency to creep from his ground, praising wicketkeeper Alex Carey for his wherewithal to effect the dismissal.

“Yeah, there’s no doubt when a player is leaving their crease or leaving their ground at certain periods of time that you take that opportunity.

“I think Pat (Cummins) relayed that in the after-match that there was some conversation around Jonny leaving the crease and Alex Carey took that opportunity … It got sent upstairs and ultimately, the officiating third umpire decides it’s out it’s within the laws of the game.

“So yeah, I don’t see too many issues with it to be perfectly honest.”

McDonald defended Alex Carey’s opportunism in the Johnny Bairstow dismissal. Picture: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

“It‘s with every player. It’s like when a player is running down the wicket to Nathan Lyon, does he take the opportunity to fire a ball down leg side, because he’s leaving his crease? There’s no doubt about that. You see a run out opportunity at point, you throw at the bowler’s end.”

McDonald added that incidents like the Bairstow dismissal and the catch denied to Mitchell Starc late on day four inevitably lead to debate.

“So yeah, I think anytime that a player leaves their ground, you take that opportunity. I think the deliberation that potentially was being discussed out there was the fact that whether it was called ‘over’ or not, I think that‘s where sort of Ben (Stokes) was discussing with the players out on the field. But any of these events are always going to polarise opinion. We saw it on day four with the (Starc) catch as well. Some people thought it was out, some people thought it was not out. So these types of events are interpreted as part of the laws. And sometimes, you know, not everyone agrees with it.”

Words passed between England captain Stokes and Australia captain Pat Cummins. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

England captain Stokes said McCullum’s remarks had likely been based on the rawness of the situation, with the star all-rounder downplaying tension between the sides.

“I think there’s a bit of emotion in that to be honest,” Stokes said.

“It’s very soon after something happens. I’m not one to hold a grudge too much.

“I’ve been through enough to know you can let things go. But I think to ruin a tradition that’s been so long, such a big series I think the feelings from a few people will definitely change as the series goes on.

“Maybe if we weren’t to do what we always do and have a beer together and say well done, great effort and all that kind of stuff it would be sad. But I think that was just emotion.”

Originally published as Ashes 2023: Nathan Lyon’s series over as Todd Murphy firms to return