Nathan Lyon offloads Australian cricket’s ultimate honour to teammate Alex Carey

After more than a dozen years as the Australian Test team’s designated songmaster, Nathan Lyon is handing over the honour. But what does it mean for his future?

Nathan Lyon has stepped away. But rest assured he is not even contemplating retirement.

After more than a dozen years as the Australian Test team’s designated songmaster – the player who decides where and when the side’s team song will be sung after each victory – Lyon has handed the baton to wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who led it for the first time at Kensington Oval last week.

The veteran off-spinner had wanted to pass the responsibility to the gloveman at last month’s World Test Championship final, but South Africa had other ideas.

However after day two of the first Test against the West Indies in Barbados, Lyon delivered a handwritten note to Carey’s hotel room, informing him that the time was right for a new conductor.

Carey had already been charged with the responsibility for three Tests during the 2023 Ashes after Lyon injured his calf at Lord’s, but the Aussies didn’t win any of those matches.

Nathan Lyon, pictured with Steve Smith after Australia retained the Ashes in 2019, has led the team song since 2013. Picture: Getty

But the job to cajole the team after a win, and provide a preamble before the song is belted out, is now fully that of the South Australian. He is not the first wicketkeeper to have the honour, with the role also held previously by Rod Marsh and Ian Healy, as well as Allan Border, Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer and Mike Hussey.

It was Hussey who charged Lyon with the job when he retired during the 2012-13 season.

Lyon said he had informed Carey in much the same way that Hussey had told Lyon all those years ago.

“He was pretty taken aback by it, but yeah, it was a pretty cool moment,” Lyon said.

“There’s no talk about me retiring or even thoughts coming in my head. It’s more about the team environment, making sure that I get the opportunity to pass it onto someone who I look at and absolutely love and the way he goes about it on and off the field.

“And I feel like Alex is the perfect candidate. I can’t feel like I’ve run my race with it, and it’s time for someone else to put their touch on.”

Mike Hussey passed the honour of singing the team song to Nathan Lyon. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Asked to nominate his most memorable renditions, Lyon said the Adelaide Test victory of 2014 – the first match following the tragic death of Phillip Hughes – stood out, as did the celebrations after an Ashes whitewash had been sewn up the previous summer.

There was also a recital in the Adelaide Oval scoreboard, and Carey could take it to even more left-field places.

“Alex’s new rules is that he can sing it where and whenever he wants. Been in there for hours and hours after a game, or might be 30 minutes up whatever. You’ve got to try and pick the vibe. But that’s why I’m pretty pumped for Alex to do it. He did a fantastic job last night. It’s gonna be a whole new humour in it. But yeah, something very cool.”

Alex Carey (L) will be the new custodian of the team song. Picture: Getty

The Bridgetown Test was Lyon’s 138th, and he will be 38 by the start of the upcoming Ashes series at home starting this November.

But the tweaker reiterated that he had no plans to call it a day.

“I’ve always said I want to win away in India, I want to win away in England. And obviously we get that opportunity in a couple of years’ time. But I’ve also got to take it Test by Test. Make sure that we’re doing everything here, getting the games in the West Indies right, and obviously we’ve got a massive summer at home with the Ashes.”

And while Lyon is now just seven Test wickets adrift of Glenn McGrath’s 563 – the second most for Australia – Shane Warne’s total of 708 is not within his sights.

“Warney’s a long way away. In my eyes he’s the greatest to ever play the game. I’m just lucky to be part of a pretty special cricket team at the moment. As I said, we’re on our way to becoming a great cricket team. We’re not there.”

The Aussies flew to Grenada on Tuesday (AEST) ahead of the second Test beginning on Friday morning (AEST).

Australia needs only a draw across either of the final two Tests to retain the Frank Worrell Trophy, held by the Aussies for more than three decades.

Originally published as Nathan Lyon offloads Australian cricket’s ultimate honour to teammate Alex Carey