'Nice Garry' becomes Gabba's favourite son

New South Welshman Nathan Lyon has become "Queensland's favourite son" seemingly overnight and the Gabba will erupt if the off-spinner can lead Australia to victory against Pakistan in the first Test on Sunday.

Matthew Wade's "Niiiice Gary" refrain from behind the stumps when Lyon is bowling began as a simple line of encouragement, took on a life of its own through social media and has now somehow morphed into the recreation of the 61-Test veteran as an overnight cult hero.

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Hundreds, if not thousands of fans throughout this Test have paid tribute to the 'Gary' phenomenon via t-shirts and various other forms of attire, as well as a level of vocal support usually reserved for the Queensland Maroons rugby league team in these parts every time he gets anywhere near the action.

Usman Khawaja said the players were thoroughly enjoying the attention that was being heaped upon their spinner.

"I've never seen anything like it," Khawaja laughed after play on day three, with Lyon snaring a key breakthrough late in proceedings to leave Australia eight wickets away from a one-nil series lead.

"He's been playing (the crowd) up a little bit.

"We're calling him 'Queensland's Favourite Son'; I've been booted out – me and (fellow Queenslander Matt) Renshaw are gone.

"It's been awesome how the crowd's been getting behind him, we keep trying to get 'Niiice Gary' in there at some point.

"We love it. It's nice to see the crowd just get amongst it.

"Social media's funny how things can just blow out of proportion – I call him the new cult hero, everyone just seems to love him.

"Hopefully he can take a few wickets tomorrow and get the crowd up again."

Lyon boasts a superb record at the Gabba and the reasons why were clear late on day three under lights, when he ripped his off-breaks to great effect and found the bounce and fizz and turn that had eluded him for much of the opening two Tests of the summer.

The 61-Test veteran said in the build-up to this series opener that he felt he hadn't been bowling poorly prior to the Adelaide Test, despite a well-publicised wickets drought.

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His fortunes turned in that match via figures of 3-60 in the second innings – a return that ultimately played a critical role in ending Australia's run of five straight defeats.

Moreover, he felt he'd simply had some bad luck and was confident the tide would turn, as it did in that final match against the Proteas.

Another five wickets followed in the Sheffield Shield around a week later and now, with the full voice of the Brisbane crowd behind him, he looks a difficult proposition.

"He bowled a good spell, and especially on a fourth innings (pitch) the ball will do a bit more turning, and a (footmark) patch is there as well that will help him," said Pakistan No.6 Asad Shafiq.

"He gets more bounce here (than in UAE) so it's good competition, we're looking forward to facing him (more)."

Khawaja agreed with Lyon's assessment that the cricket gods had been unkind to him at the beginning of the summer, as opposed to any lack of form.

"He's been bowling well for a while now, he just hasn't been getting the rewards. I've seen a few dropped catches here and there, he just hasn't been getting the rewards.

He's bowling well at the moment obviously and he bowled quite well in the last pink ball game.

Obviously the crowd's on his side, which I'm sure helps." 

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