Nathan Lyon has become the must-have Christmas tree topper for 2017 after a sensational year in Baggy Green
New craze confirms Lyon's 'star' status
A new craze is sweeping Australian cricket fans as they pay homage to Australian cricket's greatest off-spinner of all time.
The GOAT, Nathan 'Garry' Lyon has taken centre stage in the Magellan Ashes and now it appears he will take centre stage this Christmas as the ornament atop the tree.
The movement started on a Facebook fan group of the finger spinner and has quickly gathered momentum.
Lyon has been enjoying an extended purple patch in Baggy Green ever since escaping the selectors axe-swinging last November in the wake of the Hobart debacle against South Africa.
He responded with a match-turning spell in the Adelaide day-night match against South Africa, dominated in India with 19 wickets at 23.26, including 8-50 in Bangalore, and set a new two-Test series record for Australia with 22 scalps against Bangladesh, re-writing a 130-year-old record.
In the Magellan Ashes he's done it with ball and in the field. His run out of James Vince at the Gabba an outstanding piece of work that was only topped by an epic and unforgettable caught and bowled in Adelaide.
Thursday's third Test will be Lyon's fifth at the WACA Ground. The last time he faced England at the venue he claimed 3-70.
We're not sure what plans the touring England cricket team have for Christmas, but if there's a tree at the team hotel, it might just have a Lyon perched atop.
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Magellan Ashes Series
Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird.
England Test squad: Joe Root (c), James Anderson (vc), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Tom Curran, Ben Foakes, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Chris Woakes.
First Test Australia won by 10 wickets. Scorecard
Second Test Australia won by 120 runs (Day-Night). Scorecard
Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Tickets
Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Tickets
Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Tickets
Gillette ODI Series v England
First ODI MCG, January 14. Tickets
Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Tickets
Third ODI SCG, January 21. Tickets
Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Tickets
Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Tickets
Prime Minister's XI
PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets
Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series
First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets
Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets
Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets
Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 14
Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16
Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18
Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21