Lyon shows true value to Test team

If England could steal one member of Australia's bowling attack, who would they take?

Mitchell Johnson, the man who so spectacularly terrorised them 20 months ago during Australia's Ashes whitewash at home?

Or his left-arm protégé, Mitchell Starc, who sends down 150kph thunderbolts and owns one of the most fearsome yorkers in cricket?

Perhaps rising stars Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins or James Pattinson would be the best fit in an England attack?

If you're former skipper Michael Vaughan, it's a simple one: the unfashionable, oft-forgotten offspinner, Nathan Lyon.

"Because England needs a front-line spinner," the Ashes-winning captain argued while commentating for the BBC.

For so long the 27-year-old has spent his time as a Test player trying to justify his place in the Australian team.

Now he is rightly being recognised as one of the world's premier spinners, who on Friday became the 10th most prolific offspinner in history with his 159th Test wicket.

It's easy to forget that on the eve of the last Ashes series in England, Lyon was cast aside for a 19-year-old Ashton Agar, who played in the opening two Tests.

By the time he was recalled, England was 2-0 up but still the question marks remained over his place in the team, with Fawad Ahmed, Steve O'Keefe and Glenn Maxwell mooted as potential replacements in the years since.

This time around, with 16 wickets, Lyon is sneaking up on Starc (18 wickets) as Australia's leading wicket-taker.

"I think it shows his class (and) the player that he's turned in to from when he first started till now ... It's outstanding," Siddle said.

"He's our greatest ever offspinner. He is the GOAT (greatest of all time)."

Lyon again showed his value to Australia by striking a double blow on Saturday with the wickets of Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes in the space of four balls.

He will again be a factor as Australia pushes for a quick victory on Sunday morning, with rain clouds looming and only a few hours of available play predicted.

"He comes on, he can build pressure now with any quick at the other end," Siddle continued.

"He's got the skills, he's got the patience and I think he can get out big wickets.

"He showed his class today, being patient, working them over and he got results."