Winning WTC title will be important step to becoming one of the great Australian teams: Lyon

London: Winning the ICC World Test Championship title for the second consecutive time here will be an important step in establishing the current side as one of the greatest Australian teams of all times, feels star off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

The 37-year-old Nathan Lyon is part of Andrew McDonald’s squad that will take on South Africa at Lord’s in the final of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle.

Australia will be looking to defend the title they clinched in 2023 with a 209-run victory over India at The Oval, and Lyon is keen to build on the progress made since that triumph.

“It is important that we look at this week as a celebration piece. We’ve done incredibly well over the last couple of years, at home and away, and that is something that as a team, we should be really proud of," he was quoted as saying by the ICC.

“In my eyes, we’re on a journey to becoming a great Australian team. We’re not there yet, I’m well aware of that, but that’s our goal too.

"This game is another step up that ladder,” said the spin ace who took the match-winning wicket of Mohammed Siraj in Australia's win against India in 2023.

Australia finished second in the league table during the 2023-25 WTC cycle, behind South Africa, having claimed 67.54 per cent of the points on offer to them.

Australia were also the only side that did not lose a series in the 2023-25 cycle, winning four of the six series they played. Their percentage was only bettered by the table-topping Proteas’ 69.44 per cent.

Lyon has taken 56 wickets against South Africa in 18 matches and expects a fierce contest with the side captained by Temba Bavuma.

“Yes, we’ve been here before, but South Africa qualified first during this World Test Championship,” said Lyon who has taken 553 wickets from 136 matches since making his Test debut in 2011.

“Throughout these two years, they’ve done something really well to finish top, and so they deserve that home changing room leading into this game.

“It’s international cricket. We’re expecting an extremely hard challenge and there’s going to be a lot of problems out there, but we’re going to have to be good enough to solve those problems ASAP.”

The presence of multiple experienced and skilled bowlers in the Australian camp like captain Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland only adds to the Australian fire-power, said Lyon.

“As a bowling squad, we are very proud of where we are currently at,” he said.

“But we’re not leaving any stone unturned and we’re still trying to get better as a bowling group. I feel that spurs each and every one of us on to get better."

Australia last featured in a Test series in England during the 2023 Ashes — the opening assignment of the 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle — but several members of the squad have since returned to ply their trade in county cricket.

Lyon turned out for Lancashire in 2024, while Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green and Beau Webster represented Glamorgan, Gloucestershire and Warwickshire, respectively, during the ongoing season.

"I feel like you get a lot of understanding of how the game is played over here in these conditions, how the Dukes ball moves around and how the overhead conditions play a role," he said.

"It’s been amazing to have Greeny over here. I think he’s played four or five games for Gloucestershire and done really well. So, hopefully, that gives him the confidence to pick things up from where he left off.

"It’s important, especially for the younger players, like Greeny, to come over here and play county cricket."