‘Ball is coming out of my hand beautifully’

By Agencies

October 01, 2018

DUBAI: Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who took 5-87 on the first day of their tour game against Pakistan A on Saturday, got a good workout ahead of the first Test.

Lyon, who held his own against the Pakistan A batsmen, said he was ‘pretty happy’ with his performance ‘in testing conditions to have a first-day hit-out’, and was especially pleased with how his partner Jon Holland bowled.

“I thought Holland worked really well into his spell, I was happy to bowl in partnerships with (him),” he said.The 30-year-old was in the United Arab Emirates in 2014 too, when Pakistan won 2-0 and Lyon picked up three wickets across two Tests for the cost of 422 runs –- an average of 140.66.

On that occasion, Younis Khan hit three centuries in totalling 468 runs, while Azhar Ali and Misbah-ul-Haq also made merry, with the sweep shot employed with great success by the Pakistan batsmen.

“I had a good chat to Younis after that series actually and he said, ‘the only reason I sweep is because I don’t trust my defence and I’m sweeping your best ball’,” said Lyon.“Usually when you’re getting swept, the best ball that you bowl is getting swept. I find it a little bit of a weird compliment that you’re bowling quite well but you keep getting swept,” he said.

Adding that the ball has been coming out of his hand ‘beautifully’, Lyon said that he had developed as a bowler in the intervening period, especially after having played more and more in the subcontinent.“I’m definitely confident, the ball is coming out of my hand beautifully at the moment,” he added.

Pakistan A won toss

Pakistan A 1st Innings

Shan Masood c Paine b Lyon 14

Sami Aslam c Paine b Lyon 51

Abid Ali c Paine b Lyon 85

*Asad Shafiq c S Marsh b Holland 14

Iftikhar Ahmed b Lyon 4

Usman Salahuddin c Renshaw b Lyon 1

Saad Ali c Paine b Lyon 36

†Mohammad Rizwan b Lyon 26

Wahab Riaz c S Marsh b Starc 12

Waqas Maqsood c Finch b Lyon 2