Lyon hunts ultimate Ashes fairytale as security beefed up at Adelaide
Australia have a chance to wrap up the Ashes in Adelaide, which will feature increased security and other free services for attendees.
Nathan Lyon is eying an Adelaide Ashes fairytale, with Australia’s recalled spinner two wickets away from overtaking Test royalty.
Lyon will enter Wednesday’s third Test on 562 career wickets, with only Shane Warne (708) and Glenn McGrath (563) having taken more wickets for Australia.
The spinner has sat on that mark since early July, having been left out of Australia’s team for pink-ball Tests in both Jamaica and Brisbane.
In the one Test he has played in that period he was also only required to bowl two overs in Perth, as England’s batting succumbed quickly in the Ashes opener.
Entering Australia’s top two in Adelaide would be fitting for Lyon, in a Test where the hosts can also wrap up the series.
He famously got his chance in first-class cricket for South Australia while working as a curator at Adelaide Oval, before a meteoric rise into the Test arena.
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The 38-year-old was inducted into the Adelaide Oval’s Avenue of Honour at Adelaide Oval on Monday, putting him alongside the likes of Don Bradman, the Chappell brothers, Shane Warne, Karen Rolton, Faith Thomas, and Shelley Nitschke.
“I dare say potentially it may be like a little fairytale,” Lyon said of the prospect of overtaking McGrath this week.
“When you look at it. My history here, working here and the dream of playing Test cricket.
“Viewing my first ever Test match here was on the roller here back in 2010 when, funnily enough, against England.
“So, for me to potentially overtake Glenn McGrath would be pretty incredible. But, it’s still a long way to go.”
Lyon is expected to play a greater role in Adelaide, on a drier wicket that will bake under intense heat for the first three days.
Adelaide curator Damian Hough also made clear on Tuesday he made a point of providing a pitch that would turn, believing it vital for Test cricket.
“It’s really important,” he said.
“I don’t want to be the curator in Adelaide where you don’t pick a spinner. Spin needs to play a part here, it always has.
“Spin needs to play a part in pitches around Australia, and we want it to play a part.”
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Naturally, Lyon agrees.
“I’ve always said as soon as the ball spins there’s more eyes on TVs and I stand by that,” Lyon said.
“When we go over to India and you look at the conditions there and the exciting cricket when the ball is spinning, how many people pay attention to it.
“For me, spin is incredibly important in the game of cricket, in junior cricket, in first class cricket, in white ball, red ball.
“It doesn’t matter what format, what game of cricket, I think spin plays a massive role.”
Extra police, free transport
There will be an increased police presence at the Adelaide Test tomorrow, with Police Minister Blair Boyer saying the extra officers would be there to “offer reassurance” following Sunday’s terror attack at Bondi Beach.
There will be additional security checkpoints and a higher police presence at the Adelaide Oval and its surrounding area in North Adelaide, including from SA Police’s Security Response Section– officers with higher levels of training who carry rifles.
Free public transport to Adelaide Oval will also be available on every day of the Test for attendees, with additional bus, train and tram services running on the weekend too.
Test ticketholders simply need to show their ticket when boarding public transport to claim the free journey.
“It doesn’t get much bigger than the Ashes and we’ve got cricket fans covered with free travel on public transport each day of the Test,” Infrastructure and Transport Minister Emily Bourke said.
“As reliable as a Starc wicket first-over, plenty of services will be running before and after play to make it easy for the sell-out crowd.”
-with AAP
