Australia star spinner Nathan Lyon was snubbed from the side's playing XI for the second Ashes Test against England. This was the second time in three Tests that the 38-year-old was dropped from the team and it left him very frustrated. Notably, he had been told that he will not be participating in the Brisbane Test just 30 minutes before the match.
Lyon expressed his disappointment on being snubbed from the playing XI once again and said that he will have a chat with both chief selector George Bailey and head coach Andrew McDonald on the matter soon.
“Absolutely filthy. But yeah, can't do anything about it. To be honest, I haven't really sat down with Ronnie [Andrew McDonald] or George yet. I'm letting things settle down in my own head and trying to make sure that I'm, as I said, doing whatever I can to make sure the guys out in the middle representing Australia do the right thing and get the right result for us,” Lyon said on Channel 7.
I know the role I can play: Lyon
Lyon feels that he could have delivered for Australia in the pink-ball Test and remarked that he is "pretty gutted" to miss out on the match.
“The communication is always there, I just hadn't had it in me to sit down with the coach and George at the moment. So that will happen. I'm not the first player to miss a Test match and I won't be the last. But, yeah, obviously pretty gutted because I know the role that I can play within Australian cricket and especially a venue like this,” Lyon stated.
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Meanwhile, the first day of the Brisbane Test concluded with England on 325/9. The visitors had a dismal start to their innings as they lost both Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope for ducks, restricting them to 5/2 at one stage. It was Zak Crawley and Joe Root's strong stand of 117 runs that steadied their ship. The former would eventually be dismissed for 76 by Michael Neser, but Root kept on scoring runs on the other end.
Root finally breaks century curse
The batter would finally end his long Test century drought in Australia and would score his maiden ton in the country during the third session. Though England looked to be down and out at 264/9, an unbeaten 61-run stand for the final wicket between Root and Jofra Archer saw them end the day strong. The Three Lions stand on 325/9 with Root unbeaten on 135 and Archer batting on 32. On the other hand, Mitchell Starc has by far been the pick of the bowlers for Australia, recording figures of 6/71.