Nathan Lyon 'breaks ranks' in 'scathing' rebuke of teammates

Nathan Lyon was filthy with the performance of his fellow bowlers on day one at the SCG, and he made his feelings known after play.

In a ‘scathing’ interview with ABC Radio at stumps, Lyon expressed his frustrations with the tactics employed by his teammates.

Cheteshwar Pujara’s third century of the series lifted India to 4-303, where Australia failed to strike with the second new ball.

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Pujara finished 130 not out at stumps on Thursday, when his highest score of a career-best series significantly boosted India’s bid for a maiden Test series win in Australia.

But according to Lyon, the Aussies didn’t bowl well enough.

“Pretty disappointing day to be honest,” he told ABC Radio.

“The bowlers, we weren’t at our best, and full credit goes to Pujara, he’s been outstanding the whole series and it’s continued today.”

Lyon was particularly scathing of the fast bowlers’ change of tactics after the first drinks break, where they resorted to a bouncer barrage that Lyon said wasn’t part of their plan.

“I wasn’t too happy about it, to be honest,” he said.

“We missed out on using the moisture in the wicket. We could have stuck there longer.

“But the captain and the bowlers came up with a decent plan and unfortunately it didn’t work.

“It goes back to basics — and you have to do basics for longer periods.

“That goes back to patience and discipline for us bowlers and unfortunately we didn’t have either of those greatly today.”

Lyon was also critical of Tim Paine’s use of Marnus Labuschagne, who was picked because of his ability to bowl some leg-spin.

He went for 0-25 off just four overs, but Lyon thought he could have been given more of a chance.

“You’re going to have to ask Tim Paine that. I’ve got no answer for you,” he said when asked if he thought Labuschagne should have bowled more.

“Obviously Marnus didn’t bowl the best I’ve ever seen him bowl, but he’s a young legspinner and a very talented batter and he’s got my full support.

“He’s an up and coming cricketer and he’s got a lot of Test cricket to play for Australia.”

‘First time I’ve heard him break ranks’

Former Aussie cricketer and ABC commentator Dirk Nannes was stunned by Lyon’s rebuke.

“I’ve never actually heard him be that scathing on his teammates,” Nannes said after thee interview.

“That’s the first time I’ve heard him break ranks and actually criticise something they’ve done or the way they’ve gone about it.”

But Nannes agreed that the short-pitched bowling was a baffling plan.

“I was shaking my head a lot today during those periods when Australia went to the short stuff. It seemed to be almost thoughtless in the way they went to it,” he said.

“You’ve got a day one pitch — yes maybe the ball hasn’t been swinging around or nipping around as much as you’d like — but the fact remains it’s a day one pitch, you’re in the first session, you’ve been sent to bowl and the only way you’re going to get a positive out of it is to take early wickets.

“To come out and go so obviously towards the short stuff, it just had me scratching my head.

“Surely the play there is to just keep trying to hit the top of the stumps — do exactly what you would have done in every other first-class game you’ve ever played before in your life … and bring your grippers in to play.”

Ponting disagrees

However Ricky Ponting saw it the other way.

“They have all bowled a bit too much the same,” Ponting said during the first hour of play, before the change of tactics.

“What are we, eight overs in and we’ve only seen a few short ones?

“Why do we always talk about wanting to play India in Brisbane and Perth when they come to Australia? Because they don’t like the short ball.

“They don’t like the pace and bounce. We’ve only seen one short ball all morning.”