Off-spinner knew before Test series that he would not be selected in 15-man squad
Test spinner Nathan Lyon says he knew well
before Australia's ICC Cricket World Cup squad announcement that he
would not be a part of the game's showpiece event on home soil.
The 27-year-old was overlooked in Australia's 15-man squad for the tournament as the National Selection Panel opted instead for left-armer Xavier Doherty and off-spinning allrounder Glenn Maxwell.
Lyon appeared to be in a good position to secure a World Cup berth when his sporadic limited-overs career was restarted for Australia's tri-series against Zimbabwe and South Africa in August last year.
He took seven wickets in four matches on that tour at an economy rate of 4.59 and then played the first two matches of the ODI series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates in October.
He again performed solidly, bowling his 10-over allotment in both matches for returns of 2-33 and 1-40, before he was rested for the third game of the series.
It was then that Lyon's World Cup dream started to slip away.
He was left out of Australia's squad for the five-match series against South Africa in November, and says he knew of the selection panel's intentions before the start of the Commonwealth Bank Test Series against India, more than a month before the World Cup squad was announced on January 11.
"I really enjoyed my time back in the one-day side, while it lasted," Lyon told ESPN.
"I played my last game then I got rested, and then went from being rested to dropped completely. That's how it goes, and when I get my opportunity next I need to take it with both hands again and keep bowling well as I feel I'm bowling at the moment.
"I felt I bowled quite well in the one-day games (in the UAE), I was really happy and pleased with the way they came out against a quality opposition against spin bowling. To be honest I was over the moon with it.
"I basically got told before the Test series started (I wouldn't be in the World Cup squad). So I didn't have to worry about it – I'd known for a while."
Lyon quickly shook off the disappointment and began the Test summer with a match-winning 12-wicket haul in Adelaide and finished the four-match series, one in which batsmen on both sides flourished, as the leading wicket-taker with 23 at 34.82.
As Australia's World Cup members swapped their Test creams for the coloured clothing ahead of the Carlton Mid ODI Tri-Series, Lyon returned to domestic level with Sydney Sixers in the KFC T20 Big Bash League, taking seven wickets in three matches at an economy rate of 6.66 to help them reach tonight's final at Lyon's old home ground of Manuka Oval.
Upon unveiling the World Cup squad, National Selector Rod Marsh indicated the presence of off-spinner Maxwell worked against Lyon, with selectors enticed by the variation offered by the experienced left-arm orthodox bowler Doherty.
Marsh added that a recent change to fielding restrictions in ODI cricket – allowing a maximum of four fielders outside the circle instead of five – has made the challenge of bowling in the 50-over game "a little bit more difficult I think for some spinners".
Maxwell, Australia's second-highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket in 2014 with 16, spoke on Monday night about the difficulties the rule change has created for spin bowlers, particularly when faced by aggressive batsmen on pitches that don't offer much assistance.
"(Batsmen) can confidently hit you inside-out against the spin and not have to worry about getting beaten by balls with a puff of dust," Maxwell said after being named Australia's international T20 player of the year at the Allan Border Medal ceremony in Sydney.
"They can confidently run down the wicket and hit you on the up and not have to worry about getting beaten on either side of the bat.
"So you’ve got to be a lot more tricky with your pace variations and that’s something that I’ve had to work quite hard on as well."
But Lyon remains confident he can have a significant impact in limited overs cricket in all conditions, a belief no doubt boosted by the fact he's taken Test five-wicket hauls in Australia, South Africa, India, Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
And he says the rule change hasn't altered his goal of becoming Australia's No.1 tweaker in all three forms of the game.
"If you're bowling well enough and your skills are at the top of their level then it doesn't matter how many fielders are out," Lyon said.
"You try to control where the batter is hitting – I know the skill of the batsmen can put you off your game but if the skill of the bowler and especially the spin bowler can come out on top you will end up with the goods anyway.
"I've just got to go out and keep bowling well and keep putting my hand up for selection.
"There's no point hiding from it, I want to be the spinner in all three formats, so it's a good challenge for me."
The 27-year-old was overlooked in Australia's 15-man squad for the tournament as the National Selection Panel opted instead for left-armer Xavier Doherty and off-spinning allrounder Glenn Maxwell.
Lyon appeared to be in a good position to secure a World Cup berth when his sporadic limited-overs career was restarted for Australia's tri-series against Zimbabwe and South Africa in August last year.
He took seven wickets in four matches on that tour at an economy rate of 4.59 and then played the first two matches of the ODI series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates in October.
He again performed solidly, bowling his 10-over allotment in both matches for returns of 2-33 and 1-40, before he was rested for the third game of the series.
It was then that Lyon's World Cup dream started to slip away.
He was left out of Australia's squad for the five-match series against South Africa in November, and says he knew of the selection panel's intentions before the start of the Commonwealth Bank Test Series against India, more than a month before the World Cup squad was announced on January 11.
"I really enjoyed my time back in the one-day side, while it lasted," Lyon told ESPN.
"I played my last game then I got rested, and then went from being rested to dropped completely. That's how it goes, and when I get my opportunity next I need to take it with both hands again and keep bowling well as I feel I'm bowling at the moment.
"I felt I bowled quite well in the one-day games (in the UAE), I was really happy and pleased with the way they came out against a quality opposition against spin bowling. To be honest I was over the moon with it.
"I basically got told before the Test series started (I wouldn't be in the World Cup squad). So I didn't have to worry about it – I'd known for a while."
Lyon quickly shook off the disappointment and began the Test summer with a match-winning 12-wicket haul in Adelaide and finished the four-match series, one in which batsmen on both sides flourished, as the leading wicket-taker with 23 at 34.82.
As Australia's World Cup members swapped their Test creams for the coloured clothing ahead of the Carlton Mid ODI Tri-Series, Lyon returned to domestic level with Sydney Sixers in the KFC T20 Big Bash League, taking seven wickets in three matches at an economy rate of 6.66 to help them reach tonight's final at Lyon's old home ground of Manuka Oval.
Upon unveiling the World Cup squad, National Selector Rod Marsh indicated the presence of off-spinner Maxwell worked against Lyon, with selectors enticed by the variation offered by the experienced left-arm orthodox bowler Doherty.
Marsh added that a recent change to fielding restrictions in ODI cricket – allowing a maximum of four fielders outside the circle instead of five – has made the challenge of bowling in the 50-over game "a little bit more difficult I think for some spinners".
Maxwell, Australia's second-highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket in 2014 with 16, spoke on Monday night about the difficulties the rule change has created for spin bowlers, particularly when faced by aggressive batsmen on pitches that don't offer much assistance.
"(Batsmen) can confidently hit you inside-out against the spin and not have to worry about getting beaten by balls with a puff of dust," Maxwell said after being named Australia's international T20 player of the year at the Allan Border Medal ceremony in Sydney.
"They can confidently run down the wicket and hit you on the up and not have to worry about getting beaten on either side of the bat.
"So you’ve got to be a lot more tricky with your pace variations and that’s something that I’ve had to work quite hard on as well."
But Lyon remains confident he can have a significant impact in limited overs cricket in all conditions, a belief no doubt boosted by the fact he's taken Test five-wicket hauls in Australia, South Africa, India, Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
And he says the rule change hasn't altered his goal of becoming Australia's No.1 tweaker in all three forms of the game.
"If you're bowling well enough and your skills are at the top of their level then it doesn't matter how many fielders are out," Lyon said.
"You try to control where the batter is hitting – I know the skill of the batsmen can put you off your game but if the skill of the bowler and especially the spin bowler can come out on top you will end up with the goods anyway.
"I've just got to go out and keep bowling well and keep putting my hand up for selection.
"There's no point hiding from it, I want to be the spinner in all three formats, so it's a good challenge for me."
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