Injured Nathan Lyon hobbled onto the Lord's pitch to help advance Australia's total by 15 runs as they set England 371 to win the second Ashes Test: watch the final day live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.15am on Sunday
Sunday 2 July 2023 11:22, UK
A dejected Nathan Lyon admitted he had been in tears over the calf injury that is likely to end his Ashes series – but was proud to play a gutsy cameo with the bat in the second Test.
Lyon sustained a significant calf tear on the second day and has been on crutches since, but he defied the pain to walk out as last man during Australia's second innings at Lord's on Saturday.
Australia's frontline spinner limped on to a standing ovation and bravely batted for 25 minutes in a 13-ball innings of four that pushed the tourists on from 264-9 to 279 all out, setting England 371 to win.
"I have been absolutely shattered, I have been in tears and I have been hurting, but this team means everything for me," Lyon reflected after England closed on 114-4, still requiring 257 for a series-levelling victory.
"Yes, I have been having conversations since it happened with our medical team and I knew the risk. But the way I look at it, I will do anything for this team and you never know how big a 15-run partnership can be in an Ashes series.
"So I am proud of myself for going out there and doing that. If it was tomorrow, I would do it again and again and again because I love this team, I love playing for Australia."
Lyon was on crutches at the start of day four but started making his way through the pavilion down to the pitch when Pat Cummins was out to leave the tourists on 261-8 in the 96th over.
In major discomfort every time he walked, the 35-year-old hopped down the stairs and waited in the Long Room until Josh Hazlewood's dismissal brought him to the crease.
He explained: "I had to go down to the Long Room and wait because I would have been timed out otherwise. The lifts here are pretty slow so I had to go down the stairs, I didn't know how long Josh would hang in there for.
"It was interesting being in the Long Room - it felt like I was in the zoo. A lot of eyes on me, watching what I was doing, what we were saying but I will do anything for this team."
While Lyon would not confirm his Ashes was over, he backed reserve spinner Murphy, 22, to leave his mark on the tour.
Lyon, who was playing his 100th consecutive Test, will have a meeting with the team's medical staff on Sunday over the best course of action for his rehabilitation.
"This is just a little speed bump in the road, this is not career-defining or anything like that," he added.
"Right now, it is pretty shattering, pretty gutting and I am pretty speechless if I am honest."
Watch the thrilling conclusion to the second Test of this year's men's Ashes series live on Sky Sports Cricket on Sunday. Coverage from Lord's begins at 10.15am with the first ball at 11am. Also stream on NOW.
