In the aftermath of the Ashes opener at Edgbaston, Australian spinner Nathan Lyon has responded to England pacer Ollie Robinson’s remark about the Australia’s lower-order batters. Robinson opined that Australia had three No. 11s in their batting lineup after England’s short-pitched deliveries troubled the Australian tailenders.
Robinson’s comment came as Australia’s lower-order batters struggled to make significant contributions in the first innings of the Birmingham test. During the first Test, England pacers employed a strategy of delivering short-pitched balls to the Australian batters. This tactic resulted in the English bowlers claiming the last four wickets for just 14 runs on Day 3 of the match. Following this performance, Robinson spoke about the barrage of bouncers unleashed on the Australian tailenders. He highlighted that the Australian lower-order batters had made minimal contributions with the bat, and it was a topic of discussion among the English team.
In response to Robinson’s remark, Lyon took a lighthearted approach and admitted to being a No. 11 batter himself. He added humorously that Josh Hazlewood, the Australian fast bowler, never allowed him to bat in that position.
“To be honest with you, I am a no.11. It’s just that Josh won’t let me bat no.11. That’s all a bit of banter and I’ve got absolutely no dramas with that,” Lyon was quoted as saying by Daily Mail.
Speaking of the first match, Lyon scored a vital 16 runs from 28 balls in Australia’s run chase of 281 on the final day of the Birmingham Test. He and Pat Cummins put on an unbroken 55-run partnership for the ninth wicket, helping Australia to take the lead of 1-0 in the battle of the urn.
The second Ashes Test between England and Australia will begin at the Lord’s on Wednesday (June 28). Led by the enigmatic Ben Stokes, England will enter the Lord’s Test with a burning desire to bounce back from their series-opening defeat. On the other hand, Australia will look to continue their winning momentum.
