Nathan Lyon stresses on ‘bowling well in partnerships’

The Australians got a good workout ahead of the first Test, to start on 7 October in Dubai, with Sami Aslam and Abid Ali hitting half-centuries as the ‘home’ side scored 247/6.

But Lyon held his own, coming on in the sixth over after Mitchell Starc and Michael Neser had started proceedings and bowling 36 overs for his five wickets. Jon Holland, the other frontline spinner, also put in lots of overs – 24 – to pick up one wicket.

Lyon 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 bowled: “I thought Jon Holland worked really well into his spell, I was happy to bowl in partnerships with (him).”

The 30-year-old off-spinner 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.

Learnt anything from that experience? “I've had four years, I've had plenty of time to think about it,” Lyon joked.

“I had a good chat to Younis Khan 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’,” added 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. It can be annoying. It’s a challenge. I want to keep challenging myself to get better and better and if guys want to sweep, I know I am a different bowler from four years ago. I’m a lot more confident than I was four years ago.”

Saying 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.

“Taking five wickets always helps, but I’ve worked really hard over the last 24 months or more on my subcontinent games. I’ve looked at a lot of footage of (Ravichandran) Ashwin and these guys and how they bowl over here – had to reassess the way I approached it,” he said.

“I’m happy with where I am at the moment, I’m feeling really confident, the ball is coming out of our hand really nicely. But it’s going to come down to bowling well in partnerships throughout the whole Test series. So, whoever is bowling – quick, spin, whatever – we’re really going to have to bowl well together.

“We’re working hard, it’s just about playing decent cricket here and getting into really good momentum for the first Test. So, whatever they throw at us, we’ll make sure we’re working hard on our games and just controlling what we can control, not really worry about what they are doing. If we can do what we do best and prepare the best possible way we can for the first Test, then we’re good."