We know what Nathan Lyon did last summer. And it wasn’t enough.

Nathan Lyon took an inglorious nine wickets at 55.1 last summer. He needs only one more wicket for 400 — but a whole lot more to avoid the sack.

Nathan Lyon managed only nine wickets in the series against India

We know what Nathan Lyon did last summer. Not much.
An automatic selection for Australia and Alinta Energy commercials, Lyon took 9-496 at 55.1 in the four-Test series loss to India. It was a horrible contribution to a galling defeat. His next Test wicket will be his 400th and his career has been a good one. But he needs to start making a deeper contribution when the Ashes gets under way on Wednesday. What did he do last summer? Not nearly enough.

Lyon gets called the GOAT by his teammates because he’s taken more Test wickets than any Australian offspinner. It’s an affront to real sporting GOATS. Shane Warne is the GOAT of Australian slow bowlers ahead of daylight, moonlight, Clarrie Grimmett, Bill O’Reilly, Richie Benaud, Hugh Trumble and Ashley Mallett. Lyon should have told his teammates yes, no, wait, sorry – you have to stop calling me that.

He’s not bad. Indeed, he’s been very good. But he ain’t no GOAT. Kylie Minogue has sold more records than any Australian singer, but that doesn’t make her the greatest musician.

Nine wickets at 55.1 in a full summer against India. Australia may as well have bowled Marnus Labuschagne and picked an extra batsman.

Confirmation of the now 34-year-old’s struggle to bowl matchwinning spells has piled up. In the Headingley Ashes Test of 2019, England had the unlikely fourth-innings target of 359. Lyon took an underwhelming 2-114 and England won.

In the Sydney Test against India in January, Australia had 131 overs to take the 10 fourth-innings wickets required for victory. Lyon should have done it on his head. He again finished with 2-114; India comfortably held on for a draw.

And then in the series-deciding Brisbane Test, the tourists were set 328 runs for victory. Australia had about 100 overs to get the job done. It was a fourth-and-fifth day pitch, and match situation, that Warne and umpteen other test spinners would have gone to town on. The tourists pulled off an unfathomable victory to claim the Border Gavaskar Trophy. Lyon tallied a defensive 2-85 from 31 overs. Nowhere near good enough. If there was a fifth Test, Mitchell Swepson might have been given a trundle.

Australia hasn’t played long-form cricket since Lyon’s summer of discontent. Analysis by CricVis last season showed 38 per cent of his deliveries pitched short. Ninety-nine per cent of his balls were faster than 83km/h, a sure sign of fast and defensive bowling. Only nine per cent of deliveries found the edge or a play-and-miss. He took a wicket only once every 128 balls. Offspinners are battling when they’re bowling fast and short.

He’s played two Sheffield Shield matches for NSW this season. He’s taken two wickets at 62.75. And he doesn’t have to look far to see his greatest selection threat.

Queensland legspinner Swepson is in Australia’s Ashes squad. He’s a 28-year-old legspinner who gives it a rip. He starred in last season’s Sheffield Shield, taking 32 wickets at 23.4. He’s acquitted himself well in seven appearances for Australia’s T20 side. He’s done wonders for Brisbane Heat in the BBL. He may get a Test cap at some stage this summer; sooner rather than later if Lyon ‘s troubles continue. Leggies give England the heebie jeebies.

Still, Lyon’s 400th Test wicket is on its way. There’s an achievement deserving of applause. You can fluke three or four Test wickets, but you don’t fluke 400. His first scalp was a beauty. Didn’t take long. He was a 23-year-old on debut against Sri Lanka at Galle when captain Michael Clarke threw him the cherry.

The late Tony Greig was commentating, and the commentary was great. “Now, this is very interesting,” Greig said after Lyon handed the umpire his cap. “Nathan Lyon, the off-break bowler, looks to the heavens as he’s about to bowl his first over in international cricket. This is just absolutely a wonderful moment for any cricketer. He’s been presented with his baggy green cap and here he is now, on a turning pitch. He’s been given the ball, an offspinner bowling to left-handers. Normally, offspinners like that. Here we go.”

Great ball. Edge from Sri Lanka’s esteemed Kumar Sangakkara. A diving catch by Clarke at first slip. “Oh! He’s got a wicket first ball!” Greig said. “What a start to a career! That was a lovely ball first-up. A little bit of drift. A little bit of turn. A little bit of kick and what’s more, a really good catch.”

Headingley, the SCG and the Gabba have painted Lyon in a poor light. Test-spinners are meant to be fourth-innings matchwinners.

Those three frustration matches were matches set up perfectly. Australia had runs on the board. Time up the sleeve. Lyon suffered from a few dropped catches and an especially ruinous LBW of Ben Stokes at Headingley that should have been given out. But still, he had all the time in the world to spin a win.

More is required. More than he did last summer. Or his 101st Test should be among his last.