Lyon joins 100-wicket club with Test haul

MELBOURNE: Nathan Lyon hasn´t always felt secure in the Australia Test team but on Saturday he joined illustrious company with his 100th Test wicket in leading a dramatic turnaround in the fourth Ashes Test.

Lyon became only the sixth off-spinner to take 100 Test wickets for his country in his second innings haul of five for 50 to bowl Australia into a winning position in the fourth Ashes Test against England in Melbourne.

Lyon joined finger-spinners Hugh Trumble, George Giffen, Ashley Mallett, Bruce Yardley and Ian Johnson to reach the milestone.

"I am pretty proud of the achievement today. It hasn´t really sunk in yet. It´s fantastic and amazing to be honest, Lyon told reporters.

"It seemed like a long way away when I first started but lucky enough to get there (100 Test wickets) and no one can take them off me.

"Although Lyon has Test best figures of seven for 94 against India in Delhi and five for 34 in Sri Lanka, it is the first time he has taken five wickets in an innings in a Test in Australia.

Lyon, playing in his 29th Test match, has constantly had to justify his place in the team but now has taken 16 wickets and second only to Mitchell Johnson´s 31 victims in the Ashes series against England. He now has 101 Test career wickets.

"I´m pretty happy. It´s always a challenge playing Test match cricket and to being in and out of the side is a massive challenge," he said. "But I´m lucky enough to have a great captain and an awesome vice-captain as well. I´ve got a really good relationship with both of them and to have their support has been fantastic.

"I knew what I had to do and I knew if I kept trying to get better and just really enjoy my cricket and just wanting to improve. If I keep doing that, hopefully things will keep rolling along well for me." (AFP)