‘I just hadn’t had it in me to sit down with them’: Nathan Lyon feeling ‘absolutely filthy’ over Ashes snub at Gabba
After being dropped for the second Ashes Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, veteran Australia spinner Nathan Lyon minced no words and showed his disappointment, saying he had not yet been able to bring himself to speak to selectors about the decision.
When asked for his opinion, he summed up his feelings bluntly: “Absolutely filthy,” he told the official broadcaster Channel 7, using local slang for anger. “But yeah, can’t do anything about it. So, I hope I can play my role in making sure I get the guys ready and do whatever I can to make sure that we get the right result here.”
One of Australia’s most successful bowlers with 562 Test wickets, Lyon was omitted from a home Test for the first time since 2012. Selectors opted for an all-pace attack, bringing in Michael Neser ahead of the off-spinner. The decision is particularly surprising given Lyon’s strong record in day-night Tests, where he has taken 43 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 25.62, compared to his career average of 30.16.
“I just hadn’t had it in me to sit down with the coach and George at the moment,” he added. “So that will happen. I’m not the first player to miss a Test match and I won’t be the last. But, yeah, obviously pretty gutted because I know the role that I can play within Australian cricket and especially at a venue like this,” said Lyon.
Lyon averages 28.82 in Tests at the Gabba.
‘Amazed they left out Nathan Lyon’
Former England captain Michael Atherton was stunned by Australia’s decision to leave out their legendary spinner.
“I was amazed they left out Nathan Lyon today,” Atherton said on Sky Sports Cricket’s ‘Ashes Daily’ Podcast.
“He’s got 562 (Test) wickets, and it’s a pitch that everybody said looked much drier and less green than it had yesterday. It’s a pitch where England thought, ‘well, we need a spinner’, and yet Australia are leaving Lyon out. I thought there were times when it looked just an okay Australian attack plus Mitchell Starc,” he added.
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