Q&A: How Nathan Lyon went from groundskeeper to a Test legend
It wasn’t that long ago that Nathan Lyon was toiling away on the Adelaide Oval pitch as a groundskeeper. Now the humble offie is on the brink of surpassing the great Dennis Lillee – and he even has his face on a best-selling pair of jocks.
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Nathan Lyon is one of cricket’s most remarkable stories, the former groundsman who now stands within 13 wickets of moving past Dennis Lillee on Australia’s Test wicket-takers table.
As he prepares to embark on Australia’s World Cup campaign Lyon talks about his early insecurities, the secret of why he has shone where so many other off-spinners have perished, why old superstitions die hard and the first thing young spinners must do when they learn the trade.
Lyon is an ambassador for KAYO who will broadcast all World Cup games.
RC: What is the story behind the brand of budgie smugglers recently released with your face of the front of them?
NL: I was approached to do one around all the “Nice Garry’’ stuff. The money goes to a charity I am behind. They said it was their best seller. The first bunch sold out in an hour and 20 minutes so they had to produce another batch.
What would you have said when you were an Adelaide Oval groundsman if someone had predicted you would have your own brand of budgie smugglers?
Absolutely no chance … times have changed.
Why off-spin?
I played in a sloping backyard against my brother and he bowled leg-spin and I always wanted to do something bigger and better than him. I was never big enough to spin the ball up the hill so I had to spin it with the slope. That’s how and why I learned the trade. It’s a weird story.
When you were working as a groundsman was there a moment which changed the direction of your life?
One that stands out when Darren Berry came up and said I was going to be a part of the South Australian Big Bash squad, not as a net bowler but to play. I remember thinking “this is starting to get real … I have a big chance here.’’
Tell me about your childhood superstitions.
Dad and myself don’t really like the numbers 13 and 87 so when I was a kid growing up if the speedometer ended up on that figure when we arrived home we would have to reverse out the driveway and drive a couple of kilometres.
Are you still that way inclined?
Not as bad. Still don’t like 13 or 87 but I always put my left foot on the ground (first) when I walk out. I don’t know why.
Mitchell Starc said recently that suddenly you have grown in confidence but early in your career you were so insecure it was as if every Test was your first. Was that true?
I know what Starcy means. I am a nervous character and I still get nervous before every Test. But I have got to a stage where I believe in myself. I have always had confidence in my skills but I think I have reached the stage where I can appreciate that “this is my moment’’ and that just comes with experience. But I have also been one to keep my feet on the ground because Mother Cricket will bite you on the backside if you get too far ahead of yourself.
Do you have any advice for a young off-spinner?
Spin the ball as hard as you can each and every time. Get on top of that skill and then we can work on landing the ball consistently. Once you can spin it hard and land it in the box we can work on different ways of landing it in the box.
You are the leader of the team song. What has been your favorite rendition of the song?
One that stands out was when we won the Ashes 5-0 in Sydney in 2013-14. We sung it out in the middle of the SCG. We sung it about five times that night. There is a good image in my head of the team singing the song after the Adelaide Test after Phil Hughes passed away.
What’s it like when you tour Australia and you run into old mates from groundstaffs you worked on?
Every time I go to Adelaide I get offered a job from (curator) Damien Hough who said I can join him when I retire. It might be handy to hit him up one day but I talk to groundsmen all around the world because I know what it is like to be a groundsman and get feedback from a player.
We have heard Steve Smith and David Warner have been quite reserved at team meetings since they rejoined the squad after the ball tampering bans. How has this process gone?
They are going really well. They are going to be massive players for us, especially over the next five or so months. They are superstars and its great to have them back.
Until you broke through off-spinners struggled for more than a century in Tests in Australia. What have you done differently?
I just have this belief that you have to spin up the back of the ball which gives you overspin and drift and drop which is absolutely crucial. If you can do that you can get bounce and if you can get bounce in Australia and hit the stickers on their bats you can hopefully have a bit of success. That’s one big area.
You had to confront a rampaging AB de Villiers in South Africa last year. What impression did he leave on you?
I have played a lot against him and fielded at point or square leg and seen him play the likes of Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc when these guys were bowling the house down. Seeing him to have so much time to play them .... he could pull Pat Cummins wide of mid-on. Unbelievable. He was just one guy I felt could hit me anywhere, any time. An absolute superstar.
EXCLUSIVE: Marnus Labuschagne made his Test debut against Pakistan last year and is now playing for Glamorgan in the County Championship. He joins Menners to discuss his test career, preparation for the Ashes summer and much more.
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What about someone who might be more unorthodox but you just found hard to shift?
Probably Faf du Plessis. I have had some decent battles with him, especially in Tests and he has always been a big challenge. He’s just got decent fight in him. That day in Adelaide when he batted all day to save a Test still stands out.
In a few Tests time you will overtake Dennis Lillee on the wicket-taker’s list … how do you feel about that?
To be honest, it feels pretty surreal when you look up a the big scoreboard and see your name behind Warne, McGrath and Lillee and in front of Lee and Johnson. If I am able to beat DK Lillee in the Ashes it would be a pretty special moment.
As we prepare for the World Cup, spin bowlers seem to be taking over 50 over cricket. What do you put it down to?
You see batsmen coming harder all the time. Everyone wants the big 350 or 400 score. It is quite hard for the batter to make their own pace and timing with the spinners. There is a great place for all spinners in the white ball set up.
MOST AUSTRALIAN TEST WICKETS
1. Shane Warne – 708
2. Glenn McGrath – 563
3. Dennis Lillee – 355
4. Nathan Lyon – 343
5. Mitchell Johnson – 313
6. Brett Lee – 310
7. Craig McDermott – 291
8. Jason Gillespie – 259
9. Richie Benaud – 248
10. Graham McKenzie – 246
Originally published as Q&A: How Nathan Lyon went from groundskeeper to a Test legend
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