Nathan Lyon marked his return to Australia’s XI with an immediate impact on Day 2 of the third Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval, dismissing Ollie Pope in his very first over as England slipped to 41 for 2.
Introduced unusually early by Pat Cummins, Lyon justified the call straight away. Tossing the ball up invitingly, the off-spinner tempted Pope into a flick, only for the England batter to pick out Josh Inglis at mid-wicket. The sharp low catch completed a crucial breakthrough and underlined Australia’s aggressive intent as England continued to trail by a massive 330 runs.
Lyon’s early success came just minutes after Cummins had already struck to remove Zak Crawley, leaving England under pressure despite a fluent start from Ben Duckett, who moved to 29 off 28 balls. Joe Root then walked in with the visitors two down and facing a stern examination.
The wicket was especially significant given Lyon’s recent absence from the side. The 38-year-old had missed two of Australia’s last three Tests, with team management opting for an extra pacer in pink-ball day-night fixtures. Adelaide, however, has traditionally offered more assistance to spinners, and Cummins was quick to exploit that history.
Ahead of the Test, Lyon had spoken about his mindset following time away from the XI. “I’ve played 140 Test matches, I feel like I don’t have a point to prove to anyone,” he said. “I’m very clear on my role within this Australian cricket team. I love representing Australia, and if I get that opportunity again, I’ll keep doing that.”
That opportunity arrived early on Day 2, and Lyon made sure to grab it with both hands, reminding everyone why Adelaide has so often been his happy hunting ground.