Nathan Lyon, emotionally broken, shares that he was aware his Ashes campaign had come to an end as soon as he grasped his torn calf muscle and left the field during the second Test at Lord’s. This is the first time Lyon has spoken since his return to Australia, revealing that he had to isolate himself during the tense final day at Lord’s and has found it difficult to watch Test cricket ever since.
He also made a lighthearted remark that his consecutive Test record now stands at 99.5 instead of 100 since he did not bowl after his initial spell at Lord’s. Despite Australia expressing some hope that Lyon would recover and continue playing in the series, the 36-year-old admits that he immediately knew his Ashes journey was over after his sprint towards the boundary in an attempt to catch the ball.
Nathon Lyon said
“I went to take off and I just heard this little gun shot and just felt it go straight away. I knew straight away my series was done there and then,” Lyon told the Willow Talk Cricket podcast.
“I was confident I would have caught that catch if I was able to push off my right foot. I remember Uzzie (Khawaja) running over saying ‘what’s up? You got a cramp?’.”And I said ‘nup, I’ve just blown my calf to bits’. The emotions set in then I sat in the changerooms for the next three-and-a-half days.”
Lyon asserts that his injury will not signify the end of his cricket career and maintains his belief that he will be fit to play in the first Test match against Pakistan in December. He is also confident that his decision to continue batting at Lord’s despite the torn calf will not jeopardize his comeback.
Lyon, along with Mitchell Starc, managed to accumulate 15 runs for the team’s final wicket. Lyon reveals that he had to convince his partner Emma, medical staff, and captain Pat Cummins to allow him to return to the field and bat.
“Em just looked at me and said ‘you are an absolute idiot. I’m helping you in the shower and everything like that, you’re an idiot’, Lyon recalled.
“I went to the ground, spoke to the medical team in the morning, they said ‘nah, you’re not batting’.”So I went to Pat (Cummins) and Pat said ‘you’re not batting, Gaz, get it out of your head’.
“I went to (coach Andrew McDonald) and said ‘I am batting’. He goes ‘good, I’m thinking the same thing’.”I knew the risks. If it was a minor tear I probably wouldn’t have gone out … But I knew I was out for the next 10-12 weeks.”
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