Nathan Lyon Prepares for ICC World Test Championship Final Against South Africa
Lyon Looks Forward to Challenging South African Batters
London [UK], June 7: Australian spin bowler Nathan Lyon is eager to face the formidable South African batting lineup in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship final. He highlighted the talents of players like Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton, as well as his previous county cricket rival, David Bedingham.
As Australia aims to become the first team to successfully defend the ICC WTC mace, the much-anticipated match is set to commence on June 11.
With an impressive record of 553 Test wickets, Lyon is considered a key player at Lord's. However, he cautioned against underestimating the Proteas, who have shown remarkable skill throughout the 2023-25 WTC cycle.
Lyon acknowledged that the experience gained from their last WTC final in the UK would be beneficial, but he emphasized that anything can happen in a championship match.
“Having players who have won multiple World Cups and the previous WTC final gives us an edge, but it doesn’t guarantee victory,” Lyon stated during a training session in Beckenham.
He noted the challenge posed by South Africa's world-class batters and bowlers, indicating that the match would be a thrilling contest between two top bowling attacks.
Rickelton, who recently scored 259 runs against Pakistan, is a player to watch after a successful IPL season where he amassed 388 runs in 14 matches. Skipper Temba Bavuma and Bedingham also contributed significantly, helping South Africa lead the WTC cycle with over 600 runs.
Lyon, who has faced legends like AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis, is well aware of South Africa's cricketing prowess.
“I’m a cricket enthusiast and have been following their current series against Zimbabwe closely,” Lyon remarked.
He praised the skills of Markram and Rickelton, acknowledging their capabilities and the importance of performing well under pressure.
Despite not playing competitive cricket since February's series in Sri Lanka, the 37-year-old feels in peak condition and ready to excel.
“I took some time off to recover my hip, and now I’m fully fit,” Lyon shared. “I’ve been training consistently since the Sri Lanka series, and my bowling has been on point for the past five to six weeks.”
Australia's squad for the WTC final includes Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Beau Webster, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon, and Matt Kuhnemann, with Brendan Doggett as a traveling reserve.