Justin Langer: Nathan Lyon’s true greatness is more than his results, he epitomises Australian cricket

It wasn’t until I started coaching the Australian cricket team that I truly realized how great a bowler Nathan Lyon really is. As a batting coach with the team, I was in Sri Lanka when Nathan made his debut. With his very first ball in Test cricket, he had the world’s number one batsman at that time, Kumar Sangakara, caught at first slip by captain Michael Clarke. Exciting as that moment was, it would have taken a brave person to predict that that would be the first of his 501 test wickets until now. A finger spinner in Sri Lanka often causes havoc, but there was less optimism about the impact he would have back home in Australia. Traditionally finger spinners have had little impact at home. Putting this in perspective Tim May, Ashley Mallett and Bruce Yardley took 333 Test wickets between them, Nathan Lyon now has 501 by himself. All three were talented bowlers but their ability to effect games of cricket in Australia were moderate. Even great overseas finger spinners like Harbhajan Singh, Ravi Ashwin, Rangana Herath, who were a nightmare to face in the sub-continent, had far less bearing here at home. The contest at any of our grounds, besides the SCG, compared to India or Sri Lanka, was completely different and it is for these reasons alone that highlight the brilliance of Nathan Lyon’s rise as one of our greatest performers. When I was appointed to the Australian position it was then that the phenomenal statistics of the affectionately known GOAT started to make sense. Through sheer will power and work ethic, Lyon forged a style of finger spin that makes him such a handful for any of his opponents. Watching this firsthand and from close quarters, I would marvel at the shape he was able to get out of his hand. Due to the revs he would put on the ball, it would curve in the air, before spinning and bouncing, more than any other off spinner I have ever seen. Shane Warne would entice a similar shape on the ball, which was a joy to watch, but he had the advantage of using his wrist, rather than just his fingers. Through height in his body, and energy in his fingers, Lyon produces a consistent trajectory that becomes advantageous on our harder, bouncier pitches. Spin and bounce as has been proven equals wickets, and there is no reason, there aren’t another one or two hundred wickets left in the GOAT yet. While statistics are one thing, with the current magical number being 500, what most don’t see is how Lyon got there. His work rate is exceptional. In my time, I have not seen a bowler who loves bowling as much, and who practices his art more. He loves to bowl, proving once again that no one gets better at something doing less of it. At Lords earlier in the year, I was sitting in the grandstand behind Nathan Lyon when he injured his calf muscle. Eighteen years before I was two metres away from Glenn McGrath when he stepped on a ball and injured his ankle. On both occasions the omission of these two greats had a significant influence on the outcome of the Ashes. I said before the last Ashes that the biggest difference in the teams was Nathan Lyon. The moment he was injured at Lords, things shifted, and if not for a terrible display of batting that afternoon by England, the result of the series could have been different. Such is the influence of Lyon the bowler. Then there is the person. Within the inner sanctum it is often joked that Lyon plays every game as though it is his first. He is often nervous, and at times seems to doubt his extraordinary ability. This of course gives good cause for his mates to shake their heads and share a wry smile — the sentiment being imagine being that good, and not even knowing it. The second greatest compliment you can be given in the Australian team, second only to the Australian captain, is being appointed the team song master. This might not make a lot of sense to most people, but within the group, the song master is a revered role. When Michael Hussey retired from Test cricket he passed on the mantle to Lyon. This speaks volumes. Equally, it was Lyon, who presented Travis Head with his baggy green in Dubai in 2018. I have been fortunate to have witnessed many of these ceremonies in my career, but that one was one of the most emotional and heartfelt I have seen. Describing what it means to represent his country, Travis was left in no doubt how much it meant to play for Australia, and as importantly, how proud he was of his little mate. After the Test match on Sunday, Emma Lyon, Nathan’s lovely wife, was interviewed by Trent Copeland. She talked of the doting father, and the simple man who loves nothing more than walking his dog every morning and night, cooking a BBQ and having a cold beer. Throughout that chat I couldn’t help but smile and think that if Nathan Lyon wasn’t already a favourite of the masses, a champion of the people, then his wife Emma had just helped confirm his position. An Aussie underdog, who has done good, Nathan Lyon’s legacy is simply outstanding, and I can only see him getting better and better.