HARD YARDS

Lyon to use BBL to push case for World T20 inclusion

by Cricbuzz Staff • Published on

Limited opportunities in the limited-overs for Nathan Lyon. © Cricbuzz

Nathan Lyon may have emerged as Australia's front-line spinner in red-ball cricket but he has strangely been overlooked by the selection committee in the shorter formats - something that has left the affable New South Welshman at a loss for words. Lyon, who is playing for the Sydney Sixers, wishes to use the Big Bash League (BBL) as a platform to remind the selectors about his credentials in the shorter format ahead of next year's World Twenty20 in India.

"I want to be the spinner in all three formats," Lyon told AAP on Saturday (December 19). "I don't know how many times I have to say it. That's my goal and the T20 World Cup is definitely on my radar. I just have to come out here and perform well for the Sydney Sixers and enjoying bowling in the BBL."

Lyon, who is yet to play a Twenty20 International for Australia, played the last of his eight One-Day Internationals against Pakistan in October 2014. He was overlooked in favour of Xavier Doherty as Australia named a solitary spinner for the 50-over World Cup at home earlier this year. Subsequently, for the ODI series on the tour of England, Australia's selection committee preferred Ashton Agar over Lyon. The off-spinner, who has 175 wickets from 50 Tests, said he was unsure why he was considered a red-ball specialist.

"You're going to have to ask Rod Marsh (Chairman of Selectors) and the rest of the selectors about that one," Lyon said. "Nothing changes much for me, I'm confident with my bowling right now and I'm comfortable with red ball, white ball or pink ball. It doesn't faze me what game I'm playing in, I just want to do well for the team I'm playing for and get the right result."

Lyon will come up against Australia's incumbent spinner in T20Is, Cameron Boyce, in the Sixers' next fixture against Hobart Hurricanes. He received a shot in the arm with Kumar Sangakkara, the Sri Lankan cricket legend and member of the Hurricanes roster, praising the off-spinner for being a proven performer across surfaces.

"He's a very good bowler and he's proven it in every condition that he's played, on wickets that don't offer him much," Sangakkara said. "He bowls a great attacking line and I think with every ball he bowls he tries to challenge a batsman. And as a spinner I think that's the most important thing."

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