Desperate to turn things around, Australia has found Nathan Lyon to show the way.
On a broken surface at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground, the off-spinner’s five for 94 kept India in check on the second day of the fourth Test and reinforced Australia’s belief that it could return home by signing off with a victory here.
“We will have to see how we bat tomorrow. Even 100 runs are going to be tough to chase out there. We have to get the two wickets in the morning. We have to bat well, get a lead of 150 or 200 and put the Indians under some pressure,” said the 25-year-old.
Lyon gave credit to new captain Shane Watson and the bowlers at the other end for his rewards on the day.
“I spoke to Shane about getting into the contest and that is one big thing I have worked on personally. It worked well today” he said.
Looking good to improve upon his best of five for 34 on debut against Sri Lanka in 2011, Lyon said, “I really enjoyed myself out there and felt quite confident in the contest. It was definitely up there as one of the days I would remember. I had my fielders around the bat and they were my attacking field. That’s the plan Shane (Watson) and Steve Rixon came up with and I was lucky enough it paid off today.”
Refusing to elaborate on the first instance of on-field verbal exchanges between Ravindra Jadeja and the Australians, Lyon said, “What happens on the field stays on the field. Australia plays cricket hard, we play hard but fair, we know where the line is.”
Murali Vijay, who continued his impressive form with another fine half-century, thought the match was evenly poised and could go either way.
“Off the surface, the ball is coming slower and lower. It’s very difficult to read the speed of the deliveries. It is difficult to score, find the gap. We did fairly well today. I am enjoying my form at present. Today, perhaps, I got out at the wrong time.”
Declining to predict a fourth-innings target, Vijay said, “Whatever the target, it will be chased.”
