Lyon's Cape Town performance defended by Cummins after Harmer's haul

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 31 Oct, 21:20 · Archive

Australia captain Pat Cummins defended Nathan Lyon's two-wicket return in Cape Town after South Africa's Simon Harmer took 6-16 in Australia's 176-run series-clinching defeat.

South Africa won the Test series decider at Cape Town, with Simon Harmer taking 6-16 on day five as Australia collapsed to 111 all out on a deteriorating Newlands pitch. Nathan Lyon had taken 2-101 from 44 overs in the previous innings, after South Africa recovered from 4-140 to set Australia 288 for victory.

Captain Pat Cummins defended Lyon's figures after the 176-run loss, saying the conditions on day five had provided more help to the spinners. 'It's a hard one,' Cummins said. 'There's obviously a little bit of help being day five.' He argued that Lyon had controlled the game well, restricting South Africa to 2.5 runs an over for much of the match. 'Nathan was the key to that,' Cummins said, adding that Lyon's value lay not only in taking wickets but in making everything else function well.

Cummins also backed Lyon's performance in Australia's first Test win in Durban before heavy cloud cover prompted Scott Boland to come in for him in Gqeberha. The Australian captain himself struggled on the tour, taking just six wickets at 54.66, with only a 2022 tour of Sri Lanka proving less fruitful in his career. He attributed the difficulties to less lively wickets in Gqeberha and Cape Town, which prompted him to go shorter than in recent years with little sideways movement on offer.

Lyon's Cape Town performance defended by Cummins after Harmer's haul — Image: The West Australian

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Lyon and Harmer's returns not full story: CumminsSimon Harmer's six-wicket haul in the final innings for South Africa put a light on not only Australia's handling of spin, but Nathan Lyon's Cape Town returns.The West Australian · 31 Oct, 21:03
Lyon and Harmer's returns not full story: CumminsSimon Harmer's six-wicket haul in the final innings for South Africa put a light on not only Australia's handling of spin, but Nathan Lyon's Cape Town returns.Perth Now · 31 Oct, 21:03

In this story: Nathan Lyon · Simon Harmer · Pat Cummins · South Africa · Australia · Cape Town · Newlands

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