Aus vs NZ: Nathan Lyon likens himself with Shane Warne ahead of New Year's Test in Sydney

Australian cricketer Nathan Lyon on Sunday seemed unimpressed with one of bowling legend Shane Warne’s recent suggestions surrounding. During the 2nd Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) between Australia and New Zealand, Warne had said on commentary that he would not mind seeing Lyon rested for the final Test of the 3-match series at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in favour of giving a game to rookie leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson. The former Australian star has repeatedly advocated Swepson's inclusion in the Australian Test team in the past. Australia wrapped up the series and have an unassailable 2-0 lead, following a 247-run win in Melbourne.

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Aus vs NZ: Nathan Lyon's stinging reply to Shane Warne 

Shane Warne had fallen out of favour with former captain Steve Waugh when he was dropped for Stuart MacGill and Colin Miller to play two spinners in the 1999 Frank Worrell Trophy series in the Caribbean. Warne and MacGill were also known to not be in the best of relations. Perhaps, making a veiled reference to those circumstances, Lyon questioned whether Warne himself would have ever asked for rest in order to give MacGill a place in the Australian Test side. 

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Swepson is likely to play in this week’s third Test against New Zealand, particularly if the SCG wicket is expected to turn. The Queensland leg-spinner is most likely to don the Baggy Green if the selectors opt to go with two spinners, as they had done in Sydney during the 2017 New Year’s Test against Pakistan. Lyon clarified he would embrace the chance to play alongside a frontline leg spinner for the first time in his Test career but he had no interest in sitting out for the 26-year-old.

He added that he hadn't met any Australian cricketer yet who would like to be rested. Lyon concluded that although it was hard to play Test cricket but it was pretty rewarding as well and any opportunity to play for Australia meant the world to its players, even if the match is inconsequential to a series. Australia are ranked second in the World Test Championship table with 256 points behind table-toppers India, who are at 360 points.

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Swepson toured alongside Lyon to India and Bangladesh in 2017 and can now make a strong case for becoming the country’s second-choice spinner. He trained with the team in Melbourne and since then has taken 12 wickets at 26.58 in the Sheffield Shield this year. The third Test between Australia and New Zealand commences on Friday, January 3 at Sydney. 

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