Off-spinner removes fellow tweaker for the seventh time in the series, equalling the all-time Test record
Lyon's magnificent seven over Moeen
Nathan Lyon’s dominance over Moeen Ali has reached historic heights after the England allrounder was dismissed by the Australian for the seventh time in the Magellan Ashes Series.
Lyon has become fifth bowler in the history of Test cricket to dismiss the same batsman seven times in one series, joining fellow Australians Glenn McGrath, Geoff Lawson and Clarrie Grimmett and England’s Brian Statham.
Lyon is the first bowler to remove the same batsman seven times in just nine innings in a series.
On the stroke of drinks in the morning session on day five at the SCG, Lyon had Moeen lbw for 13 to complete the record.
Moeen’s troubles against Lyon started in the first Test in Brisbane where he was trapped lbw in the first innings before he was out stumped by the narrowest of margins in the second innings.
A stunning return catch and another lbw brought about his downfalls in the second Test in Adelaide as Australia romped to a two-nil series lead.
In the Ashes-sealing victory in Perth, the streak was broken by Pat Cummins, who extracted an edge from the left-hander through to Steve Smith at second slip in the first innings. However, normal service resumed in the fourth innings when Moeen was again trapped leg before with a ball that slid on with the arm.
In Melbourne, Moeen’s expansive innings of 20 from 14 balls ended when he flat-batted a rare long-hop to cover and Shaun Marsh took a good catch above his head. The slow MCG pitch meant England didn't bat a second time in that match and prevented Moeen from batting a 10th time this summer.
McGrath holds the world record for the most Test dismissals of one batsman overall after capturing former England captain Michael Atherton’s wicket 19 times.
Image Id: B6A5D2E60C5A42FBA0E06664A9D20E88 Image Caption: McGrath removed Atherton seven times in the 1997 Ashes series // GettySeven of those wickets came in 12 innings in the 1997 Ashes series in England, a six-Test tour that Australia won 3-2.
Eight years earlier, Lawson had classy batsman David Gower seven times in 11 innings as Australia regained the Ashes with a stirring 4-0 victory.
In 1960, Statham – the Lancashire quick – removed South Africa’s Trevor Goddard on seven occasions in 10 innings while in the summer of 1935-36, the wily leg-spin of Grimmett accounted for South Africa’s Jack Siedle on seven occasions out of 10.
England assistant coach Paul Farbrace says Lyon’s impact in this series has been as great as run-machine Steve Smith.
"I think he’s had a fantastic effect on this series and he really has been ... there were times when you talk about on flat pitches, let’s make sure we get the seamers into second/third/fourth spells, he has been able to come on and bowl long spells," Farbrace said.
"Right back to Brisbane, that surface probably surprised all of us with the way that it played, he bowled brilliantly from there and almost in a way we’ve not got away from his stranglehold.
"He bowled very well to start well there, we’ve found him hard to rotate against and he’s gone on to have a massive effect on this series.
"Along with Steven Smith has been their star performer in that he’s allowed their seamers to have decent periods of rest and he’s always been a threat and he’s always taken important wickets throughout the series, which is testimony to his high-level of skill."
2017-18 International Fixtures
Magellan Ashes Series
Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell 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 Australia won by an innings and 41 runs. Scorecard
Fourth Test Match drawn. Scorecard
Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Scorecard
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