Nathan Lyon dismisses Shane Warne’s plan for him to be rested to give Mitchell Swepson his Test debut
Spin legend Shane Warne has called for rising leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson to get a taste of Test cricket in Sydney this week. That would mean Nathan Lyon making way and that didn’t sit well with him.
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Nathan Lyon has shot down Shane Warne’s suggestion he should sit out the SCG Test and declared Australia’s pace attack will have no problem backing up against New Zealand on Friday.
Leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson has been drafted into Australia’s squad while bowling all-rounder Michael Neser is also eagerly awaiting a Baggy Green cap.
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Lyon loves bowling in tandem with a second specialist spinner but said the bowling cartel was strongly opposed to a rotation policy.
“I haven’t met any Australian cricketers yet that would like to be rested. It’s that hard playing Test cricket, but it’s that rewarding as well,” Lyon said on Monday.
“I can’t imagine Mitch Starc, Pat (Cummins) or Patto (James Pattinson) putting their hand up and saying, ‘I need a rest’.
“I know from talking to those guys they’re pretty pumped about coming up to Sydney and hopefully going 3-0 against the No.2 team in the world (New Zealand).
“There’s definitely no one in that bowling cartel that really wants to put their hand up and say, ‘I want a rest’.”
Lyon – Australia’s greatest ever off-spinner – dismissed Warne’s theory that he should take a rest so that Swepson could gain valuable experience and not be thrown in the deep end when Australia tours Bangladesh in 2020.
“Did Warnie ever want a rest to give Stuart MacGill a go? I won’t be resting,” Lyon said.
The Aussies are not treating the SCG Test as a dead rubber, despite sealing a series win with a day to spare at the MCG.
That is because they desperately want to make the 2021 World Test Championship final at Lord’s and another win against the dispirited Kiwis would earn another 40 points.
“With this Test Championship there’s no more dead rubbers,” Lyon said.
The veteran chatted to Swepson, 26, on the boundary at the MCG over the weekend and watched him bowl in the nets.
“Mitch has been bowling brilliantly for Queensland,” Lyon said.
“He’s a great fella and he gives it a rip. That’s what I love to see about all spinners, if we can give it a rip and try to spin the ball.
“I’m a big fan of Mitch. If he gets his chance then fingers crossed we can have a great combination together.
“Leg-spinners bring different opportunities to the game. I really enjoy bowling with another spinner as well.
“We get to get through our overs quite quickly and we feel like we build some pressure here and there.”