A dejected Nathan Lyon admitted he had been in tears about his likely series-ending calf injury but was proud to play one final part in the second Ashes Test after a gutsy cameo with the bat on day four.
Lyon sustained a significant calf tear on the second day and has been on crutches since, but defied the pain to walk out as last man during Australia’s second innings on Saturday afternoon.
Australia’s frontline spinner limped on to a standing ovation and bravely batted for 25 minutes in a 13-ball innings of four that saw the tourists move on from 264 for nine to 279 all out, which set England 371 to win.
“I have been absolutely shattered, I have been in tears, upset and I have been hurting, but this team means everything for me,” Lyon reflected after England closed on 114 for four, still requiring 257 runs for a series-levelling victory.
“Yes, I have been having conversations since it happened with our medical team and I knew the risk. But the way I look at it, I will do anything for this team and you never know how big a 15-run partnership can be in an Ashes series.
“So, yes I am proud of myself for going out there and doing that.
“If it was tomorrow, I would do it again and again and again because I love this team, I love playing for Australia.”
Lyon was on crutches at the start of day four but in an extraordinary sequence of events in the afternoon session, he started to make his way through the pavilion down to the pitch when Pat Cummins was out to leave the tourists on 261 for eight in the 96th over.
With the 35-year-old in major discomfort every time he walked, Lyon hopped down the stairs and waited in the long room at Lord’s until Josh Hazlewood’s dismissal brought him to the crease.
Before his courageous innings, Lyon encountered England veteran James Anderson, who was off the field at the time.
Lyon added: “I have played against Jimmy for a long period of time now and I have a lot of respect for him. He asked, ‘Am I stupid? And I said, ‘Yes, but I may have to do a you and go to 40.’
“He said, ‘if you keep loving the game and keep trying to get better there is no reason why you can’t,’ so that was a nice little moment with Jimmy.
“Regarding batting, I had to go down to the long room and wait because I would have been timed out otherwise. The lifts here are pretty slow so I had to go down the stairs, I didn’t know how long Josh would hang in there for.
“It was interesting being in the long room, rather than being in the pavilion. It felt like I was in the zoo. A lot of eyes on me, watching what I was doing, what we were saying but I will do anything for this team.”
Ahead of his surprise cameo, speculation had started about whether Lyon would pad up and to what benefit.
Former England captain Kevin Pietersen was not alone among broadcast pundits in suggesting that Lyon taking a blow to the helmet may benefit Australia if it allowed them to bring in Todd Murphy as a concussion substitute.
Pietersen described the scenario as “food for thought” on Sky Sports, but Lyon was deeply unimpressed by the suggestion.
Lyon’s friend and team-mate Phil Hughes died in 2014 after being hit by a bouncer in the neck and the spinner vehemently shut down the notion.
He said: “I have heard comments that people thought I went out there to get hit on the head and I am really against that.
“I lost one of my mates due to being hit in the head so I think that is a really poor excuse or conversation to be had.”
While Lyon would not confirm his Ashes was over, he backed reserve spinner Murphy, 22, to leave his mark on the tour.
Australia’s chief spinner Lyon, who was playing his 100th consecutive Test, will have a meeting with the team’s medical staff on Sunday over the best course of action for his rehabilitation.
“This is just a little speed bump in the road, this is not career-defining or anything like that,” Lyon stated.
“I am sitting down with our medical team tomorrow and we will have a chat. Right now, it is pretty shattering, pretty gutting and I am pretty speechless if I am honest.”
IPL: Gaikwad inspires CSK to emphatic victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad
Ruturaj Gaikwad inspired Chennai Super Kings to a 78-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.
CSK lost by six wickets to Lucknow Super Giants in their last outing, but they bounced back in emphatic fashion on Sunday.
Captain Gaikwad was in rampant form, plundering 98 runs from 54 balls, a knock that included 10 fours and three sixes, while Daryl Mitchell added a useful 52.
Tushar Deshpande subsequently picked up the mantle with the ball, taking 4-27, including dismissing Hyderabad's top three - Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and Anmolpreet Singh.
Aiden Markram offered some resistance with a 26-ball 32, but once skipper Pat Cummins also fell to Deshpande, the game was all but up.
Jaydev Unadkat was the final one to tumble, as Hyderabad were bowled out for 134 and saw CSK move above them into third in the standings.
Data Debrief: Gaikwad on Kohli's heels
With 447 runs across nine innings, Gaikwad is now second on the list of leading run scorers in the IPL this season, behind only the great Virat Kohli (500).
Gaikward, though, has the better strike-rate at 149.49, while he is averaging 63.86.
Hayley Matthews leads from the front as West Indies Women take 2-0 lead over Pakistan Women with seven-wicket victory at Karachi
In yet another stunning performance, West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews led her team to a commanding seven-wicket victory over Pakistan Women, securing a 2-0 lead in their five-match T20 series in Karachi on Sunday.
Matthews showcased her all-round prowess by first starring with the ball, taking an impressive 3 wickets for just 25 runs to restrict Pakistan Women to 121-7 in their allotted 20 overs. Despite a resilient 55 from Muneeba Ali, the hosts struggled against the visitors’ bowling attack, with Matthews leading the charge. She received support from Chinelle Henry, Karishma Ramharack, and Afy Fletcher, each claiming a wicket to stifle Pakistan’s batting efforts. Matthews also contributed to a crucial run-out that ended Pakistan’s innings.
With a manageable target of 122 for victory, Matthews continued her dominance, opening the batting for West Indies Women. She began her innings aggressively, smashing 10 boundaries on her way to a match-high 58 runs off just 43 balls. Her attacking display laid a solid foundation for the run chase.
Supported by contributions from Shemaine Campbelle (21) and Chedean Nation (unbeaten 17), Matthews guided her team to victory in emphatic fashion, sealing the win with 10 balls to spare.
Matthews’ outstanding performance with both bat and ball underscores her invaluable role as a leader and key player for the West Indies Women’s team. Her contributions have been instrumental in securing consecutive victories against Pakistan Women, setting a strong foundation for the remainder of the series.
The West Indies Women will look to build on this momentum as they aim to maintain their winning streak and clinch the series against Pakistan Women in the upcoming matches.
Motie's heroics lead West Indies A to victory over Nepal in T20 thriller: Series level at 1-1
In a thrilling encounter at Kirtipur, Gudakesh Motie emerged as the standout performer for West Indies A, propelling his team to a crucial victory over Nepal in the second T20 International to level the five-match series at 1-1. Motie's exceptional all-round display, featuring an unbeaten 33 off just eight balls and impactful bowling, played a pivotal role in securing the win.
Batting first, West Indies A faced early setbacks but rallied behind Andre Fletcher's resilient 43 and Captain Roston Chase's 23. However, wickets fell at regular intervals, leaving the team in a precarious position at 115 for 7. When Fletcher departed, the onus fell on Motie to provide a late surge. With only 13 balls remaining, Motie unleashed a blitz, smashing two fours and four sixes to power his team to a competitive total of 160 for 7. Matthew Forde contributed with an unbeaten 11 as Sagar Dhakal and Kushal Bhurtel each picked up crucial wickets for Nepal.
In response, Nepal's captain Rohit Paudel led the charge with a magnificent 71 off 48 balls, keeping his team in contention. However, Nepal's batting struggled against the West Indies A bowling attack, with only Gulsan Jha offering notable support with 26 runs. Motie continued to make an impact with the ball, claiming 2 crucial wickets for 244 runs alongside Obed McCoy, who showed signs of returning to form with his 2 for 24.
Despite Paudel's heroics, Nepal fell short in their chase, ultimately conceding victory to West Indies A by 10 runs. Motie's exceptional performance earned him the Player of the Match award.
The third match in the series is set for Wednesday, May 1, 2024.
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