Pakistan v Australia first Test, day 5: Tim Paine, Nathan Lyon turn to British comedy The Inbetweeners for inspiration

AUSSIE Test heroes Tim Paine and Nathan Lyon let themselves be kids again as they tried to relax through one of the most intense periods they ever likely to encounter.

Tim Paine and Nathan Lyon endured nervy moments before the draw was secured.

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TWO of the oldest heads in the Aussie dressing room used a coming-of-age sitcom to inspire them to Test cricket’s Great Escape in Dubai.

Tim Paine and Nathan Lyon came together needing to survive 12 agonising overs to clinch a famous draw for Australia and used the lure of watching an episode of British comedy The Inbetweeners in the team room after play to inspire them home.

Neither the new captain or the veteran custodian of the team song’s families are in the UAE, and as a result Paine and Lyon let themselves be kids again as they tried to relax through one of the most intense periods they ever likely to encounter.

Tim Paine and Nathan Lyon endured nervy moments before the draw was secured.

Rodney Hogg tells the story of how when Allan Border and Terry Alderman batted over two hours for a draw against West Indies in 1984, every single player in the change rooms superstitiously lifted their feet off the floor until the job was done.

At eight wickets down, and with Pakistan crowding nine fielders around the bat, Paine and Lyon allowed their minds to drift to the comical reward of two grown men sinking onto a couch to watch the misadventures of four suburban adolescents.

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“We were both a bit nervous, no doubt about that,” said Paine whose 61 off 194 balls was a captain’s knock for the ages.

“I felt in a really good space when I was batting with Uz (Usman Khawaja) and got a partnership going.

“But as the wickets started to fall and the overs were getting closer it was a nervous feeling.

“Lyono (5 not out off 34) and I were actually talking about … just going down to the team room tonight and watching a few episodes of The Inbetweeners.

Nathan Lyon stuck solid with Tim Paine to help grab the draw.

“That was what was getting Lyono through, so I just went with him.

“Apparently we’re going to order a pizza, go down to the team room and put Inbetweeners on.

“That’s our reward. That’s what got us through the last six or seven overs.”

Paine insisted that the extraordinary circumstances of a draw, which felt like a win, wouldn’t change the plans of keeping any celebrations well under control.

“It certainly is … it’ll be a quiet one tonight.”

When Usman Khawaja finally lost his wicket for 141 off 302 balls, it set off a chain reaction where two overs later Mitchell Starc and Peter Siddle departed in the space of four balls.

There was no over-the-top celebration for Tim Paine and Nathan Lyon. Picture: Getty.

With only No.11 Jon Holland left in the shed, the scenario confronting Australia was suddenly as daunting as it was before.

Pakistan appeals were flying left right and centre as a Yasir Shah delivery passed over Paine’s bails by barely millimetres, and a Lyon inside edge also missed leg-stump by a coat of varnish.

Former Test stars Allan Border, Mike Hussey and Brendon Julian were all invited into the Australian dressing rooms after play.

Originally published as Pakistan v Australia first Test, day 5: Tim Paine, Nathan Lyon turn to British comedy The Inbetweeners for inspiration