Australia play exciting brand of cricket at Gabba: Lyon

[Ulquiorra]

 

Lyon averages just over 50 and at a strike rate of 91.1 against Pakistan. © Getty

Nathan Lyon, the Australian off-spinner, has carved out a fine Test career, with as many as 363 wickets to his name. Over a period of eight years, he has been an integral part of the Test set-up, and has played 91 Tests. However, Pakistan is one team against whom, Lyon has struggled to make an impact, averaging just over 50 and at a strike rate of 91.1 for his 26 scalps.

Over a period of time, the likes of Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan have put Lyon under pressure by taking the attacking route. In the current Pakistan batting unit, the duo of Asad Shafiq and Babar Azam would be expected to follow the same path of their predecessors by playing positively against Lyon.

The 31-year-old, however, would feel confident of reversing his fortunes against Pakistan, as the first Test of the upcoming series will be played at his happy hunting ground, the Gabba. The off-spinner has picked up 33 wickets in just eight Tests at the ground. The track at the Gabba tends to offer bounce, which in turn helps Lyon's ability to get overspin. Australia also haven't lost a Test at the ground since 1988-89.

"We tend to play an extremely exciting brand of cricket here at the Gabba, so I'm very happy, it's one of my favourite places to play, it's great that we've got the first Test here, fingers crossed it's a decent crowd that rolls out for us," Lyon said. "The wicket, I reckon it's a good contest between bat and ball, personally I find I get a fair amount of bounce and a bit of spin over the last couple of years as well.

"I love playing cricket here, for the last nine years I've been playing Test cricket here, everyone's been talking about playing four quicks every time, so it's all part of it and I'm not really concerned what Pakistan do to be honest, it's about us as the Australian cricket team, making sure we're preparing the absolute house down and making sure we're doing everything in our control to make sure we're right to go."

The off-spinner also backed one of his team-mates, David Warner, to return to form in the two-match series. Warner had a torrid time in the Ashes in England, where he was dismissed time and again by Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer, ending up with just 95 runs at an average of 9.5. He also said that Australia's fine show in the Ashes, where they retained the Test series with a two-all draw, has helped the side to 'gel' together and gain momentum.

"When you're competing against some of the best players in the world, and I know when I'm bowling to someone who I've got the wood over, it can play on their mind, so no doubt Davey would have felt the pressure," Lyon said. "But it's one of those things where you need to accept the challenge, move on and try to get better. Davey's a world-class player, I know that, you know that, I'm expecting him to come out here and play exceptionally well.

"No doubt he'd be down about the Ashes he had, but still part of the side to go over there and retain the Ashes, which is pretty bloody special if you ask me. From our experiences over in England it's been absolutely incredible. To gel as we have over there, the summer over there, our winter here, it's been absolutely exceptional. The squad's pretty well the same squad, those guys have been performing extremely well over there and to be part of it and retain the Ashes.

"Would've been great to win it obviously, unfortunately weren't able to do that, but we take a lot of momentum from that experience over there, it's that hard to win away from home, so it's crucial we come here and prepare the way we need to prepare before the first Test match and if we bat or bowl morning of day one, that we go in 100% and we keep the foot on where we took it off."