One of the days I would remember, says elated Lyon

Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who took a five-wicket haul on Saturday, acknowledged it as the ‘best day’ in his Test career.

Lyon said he felt confident in the match and enjoyed bowling his uninterrupted 21-over spell.

 “I love bowling long spells. It allows me to get my rhythm and I am more than happy to do it. It was definitely up there as one of the days I would remember,” Lyon told reporters after the end of the second day’s play. “We had a good lead up to the Mohali Test but it didn’t come off the way we wanted it to. We had some good ideas to come out here in this pitch in Delhi and really turn around things for Australia.”

Lyon credited his success to his fellow bowlers. “I spoke to Shane Watson about getting into the contest and that is one big thing I have worked on personally and it worked well today. I was lucky enough to get five wickets but I didn’t get the five wickets by myself I had some good bowlers at the other end, bowling in partnerships and that is one area we hadn’t done well in the last three Tests.

Lyon praised Watson the way he led the side in his first outing. “I was quite happy to bowl under the new captain. Shane is a great player and a great leader. Everyone has got so much respect for Shane and I thought he did pretty well today. It was tough conditions out there and I thought he led pretty well.”

There was some exchange of words on the field between players but Lyon dismissed it as Australia’s way of playing cricket, which he felt showed results.

“What happens on the field stays in the field. Australia plays cricket hard, we play hard but fair, we know where the line is. We push to the limit and that is the way we play our best cricket. That is something we haven’t done in the last three Test matches and we saw the reward of putting India under a bit of pressure. I guess we do wish that we did it earlier,” he said.

On Australia’s strategy in the second innings, Lyon said: “We will have to see how we bat tomorrow. Hundred runs is going to be tough to chase out there. The wicket is going to be tough and we have quality bowlers in our line-up. We have to bat well and get a lead of 150 or 200 and put the Indians under some pressure.”