A chronological look at Nathan Lyon's career, from his first Test wicket to his 300th
Milestone wickets special for Lyon
1. Wicket No.1 - Sangakkara c Clarke b Lyon (August 2011)
Australia arrived in Galle in 2011 having tried eight different spinners since Shane Warne had retired in 2007.
Only one, Nathan Hauritz, had played more than 10 Tests.
Australia had one Test incumbent in Michael Beer and a grounds man from the Adelaide Oval as their two spinners for the tour.
A then 23-year-old Nathan Lyon had made his first-class debut just six months earlier following a meteoric rise through the Big Bash.
And it didn't take long for the wiry spinner from Young in country New South Wales to show the world what was to come.
"Obviously the first one is pretty special, and then to take your first 5-fa...that happened pretty quickly for me which was very fortunate," Lyon said.
"The memory is pretty blurry actually. I was pretty nervous with my first ball in Test match cricket.
"Just before the ball Ricky Ponting just comes up and goes 'enjoy it and back your skill'. Mike Hussey came up and told me to smile. Pretty hard to smile when I'm that nervous."
"Thankfully Kumar was nice enough to nick one."
Image Id: 8BC46016E63B4B97A5859A90DE8E656A Image Caption: A young Nathan Lyon celebrates a wicket2. Wicket No.50 - Rudolph c Cowan b Lyon (November 2012)
Following a breakout five-wicket haul on debut, Lyon held his spot in the side with a string of solid performances including a second five-wicket haul in the West Indies.
Facing the South Africans on the ground he had worked at as a groundsman just two seasons before, Lyon claimed his 50th wicket as South Africa looked to hold out the Aussies on a final day wicket.
Despite falling to 4-45, the tourists held on thanks to a near eight-hour vigil from debutant and man of the match Faf du Plessis.
The inability of Lyon to break through on a turning fifth day pitch was well highlighted following the match.
"It was a full ball and a pretty good catch by Ed (Cowan) actually," Lyon admitted.
3. Wicket No.100 - Broad c Clarke b Lyon (December 2013)
Following South Africa's escape in Adelaide, Lyon faced a lean period that included the first two Tests of an India tour.
He responded by taking his best figures to date, 7-94, in Shane Watson's single game as Test captain.
Despite taking nine scalps for the Test, he was overlooked for the start of the 2013 Ashes as wonderkid Ashton Agar was sensationally chosen instead.
Regaining his spot in the side, he cemented his place in the Aussie line-up that would win the 2013/14 Ashes 5-0, picking up his 100th wicket and fourth five-wicket haul in the process.
"My 100th wicket was pretty similar to my first one actually. He just nicked it," Lyon said.
Image Id: 0CC7FA436079448AA0CB63B408DD4F08 Image Caption: Nathan Lyon picks up the scalp of Stuart Broad4. Wicket No.150 - Buttler c Haddin b Lyon (July 2015)
With Ashes in hand, the Aussies next conquered rivals South Africa on home soil with Lyon claiming a five-wicket haul in the second Test.
However, the leanest period of his Test career was to follow, and his place was far from secure as India prepared to tour Australia.
With memories of Adelaide in 2012 on his mind, Lyon starred with 12 wickets for the Test including seven on a memorable final day to bowl his country to an emotional victory.
By the time the next Ashes series arrived, Lyon had passed Hugh Trumble as Australia's most prolific off-spinner in history, earning the new nickname of Greatest-Of-All-Time for his efforts.
"A sweepshot that ballooned off his glove and was caught by Brad Haddin," Lyon said.
5. Wicket No.200 - De Silva c Khawaja b Lyon (July 2016)
Now established as one of the first picked in the side, Lyon contributed to series wins against New Zealand and the West Indies in the home summer along with a series victory on New Zealand soil.
Just under five years since his first Test, Lyon returned to Sri Lanka where he claimed his 200th victim in the first Test, becoming just the 15th Australian to reach the landmark.
"200 was (Dhananjaya) de Silva. I can't pronounce his first name. Caught at mid-off by I'm gonna say Adam Voges. Who? Khawaja? I better record that again," Lyon joked.
6. Wicket No.250 - Islam lbw Lyon (August 2017)
In a tumultuous period for Australian cricket, Lyon was part of sides that struggled in Sri Lanka before being humbled at home by South Africa.
Still part of a rejuvenated side following the South African series, Lyon's cult status grew at home before he took his best ever figures, 8-50, in a match winning performance on Indian soil.
Along the way, he passed icons of Australian cricket Stuart MacGill, Clarrie Grimmett and Richie Benaud to sit behind only Shane Warne among Australian spinners.
"250 was Taijul Islam in Chittagong. I'm not really sure how I got him out. I'm pretty sure it's LBW. Not sure, I took quite a few wickets on that tour," Lyon said.
Image Id: C121FF2515924AAEB21965663259825E Image Caption: Another wicket for Nathan Lyon7. Wicket No.300 - Rabada stumped Paine b Lyon (March 2018)
Having dominated the tour of Bangladesh that saw him achieve a slew of records, Lyon's confidence was at a high as a home Ashes series loomed.
The series saw him take a stranglehold on England's left handers, playing no small part in the 4-0 series victory.
Now the most capped player, and one of the senior members of the team, Lyon became just the sixth Australian to pass 300 wickets in the now infamous Cape Town Test.
"The big man Rabada. Pretty good work by Tim Paine to whip the bails off," Lyon said.
"It was a massive relief to get that and it's something I'm pretty proud off."
8. And Lyon's favourite wicket of all?
Despite taking 306 Test wickets across seven years, Lyon is able - after some thought - to point rather embarrassingly to one in particular as his favourite.
"It's quite hard to sit down and name one. Out of all 306 there's not too many that I say I really deserved that," he said.
"There's been a couple of good ones. Bowling Sachin Tendulkar through the gate in Chennai. I think only a small number of spinners have been able to do that feat against Sachin.
"Taking someone like Virat (Kohli's) wicket something like six times. Obviously he is one of the best batters in the world.
"However, I still believe that one of my best balls I bowled, which is embarrassing, is bowling Chris Martin at the Gabba (wicket No.16). It was probably one of the best balls I bowled. A genuine good ball to a right hander, through the gate."
"I've wasted it on Chris Martin – no offence Chris. I wish it was AB de Villiers or Kevin Pietersen or someone like that but it is what it is."
Image Id: B8C0F7DD3CC141368017C3DF34F560D0 Image Caption: Chris Martin is bamboozled by Nathan LyonQantas Tour of the UAE
Australia Test squad: Tim Paine (c), Ashton Agar, Brendan Doggett, Aaron Finch, Travis Head, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc
Sep 29 - Oct 2: Tour match v Pak A, Dubai
Oct 7-11: First Test, Dubai
Oct 16-20: Second Test, Abu Dhabi