On Wednesday, June 28 2023, Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon got added to an elite, brief yet magnificent list of players who have played 100 consecutive Test matches as he took the field at Lord’s for the second Test of the Ashes 2023 series.
Hailed as the GOAT – that is Australia’s Greatest off-spinner, Nathan Lyon had started out as a groundsman in Adelaide, and now, 12 years later after his Test debut in Galle where he took a wicket of his first ball in Test cricket, Nathan Lyon stands as only the 6th player in the history of Test cricket to play 100 consecutive Test matches.
Only 5 other players before Nathan Lyon have featured in 100 Test matches on a trot. This achievement is a tribute to Nathan Lyon, and the other five players’ body of work, their consistency in the format, their longevity, and also, as much crucially, their fitness, that they played 100 Tests in a row without getting dropped or injured.
List of players to play 100 consecutive Test matches:
159 – Alastair Cook
153 – Allan Border
107 – Mark Waugh
106 – Sunil Gavaskar
101 – Brendon McCullum
100* – Nathan Lyon
Nathan Lyon is the first specialist bowler to play 100 consecutive Tests, and the third Australian after Allan Border (153 Tests) and Mark Waugh (107).
This is Lyon’s 122nd Test match; he’s taken 495 wickets in 121 Tests and among Australians is only behind Shane Warne (708) and Glenn McGrath’s (563) wickets tally.
Also, the 35-year-old Nathan Lyon could challenge Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh’s Australia record of 168 Test appearances in the coming years.
Ahead of the Lord’s Test, Lyon said: “It’ll be extremely special. One hundred consecutive Test matches for anyone is a pretty special feat. I hate talking about myself but that’s one record I’m extremely proud of. Especially being a bowler and No. 11 batter that you’re able to get that feat done and tick off 100 consecutive games, that’s something that I’ll be extremely proud of when it happens and more importantly when my career is done.”
England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bowl first, citing overcast conditions and greenery on the Lord’s pitch. Both England and Australia have made one change to their line-ups. England dropped off-spinning all-rounder Moeen Ali for fast bowler Josh Tongue while Australia bring back Mitchell Starc for Scott Boland.
Teams:
Australia (Playing XI): David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey(w), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins(c), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
England (Playing XI): Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes(c), Jonny Bairstow(w), Stuart Broad, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, James Anderson
