Former Australia batsman Mark Waugh has no complaints about Nathan Lyon’s exclusion from the team. Waugh said, “It’s tough on Lyon, but it’s a fair call.” The decision considered the pitch nature, similar to last year. While some experts disagree, the team chose Scott Boland to help secure a big win.
Last year during the Ashes, Lyon was dropped from the pink-ball second Test, and Michael Neser was brought in. The medium pacer ended up taking a five-for in the big win for the hosts. The way Boland cleaned up the seasoned Aiden Markram with an inswinger and then followed it up with an outswinger to have David Bedingham caught behind was pretty special. Former Australia batsman Mark Waugh has no reason to criticise Lyon’s exclusion as it was done taking into consideration the pitch’s nature, just like it was done last year.
“It’s tough on Lyon, but it’s a fair call,” Waugh said on Fox Cricket.
“Would South Africa rather face Nathan Lyon or Scott Boland? They’d say Lyon ... if the conditions suit, he (Boland) should be playing,” he added.
Former Aussie spinner Kerry O’Keefe is not happy with the decision, even though in his heart of hearts he knows it’s the right call despite it being a ‘dangerous prospect’.
“Boland takes his wickets at 12 in the final innings. It’ll hurt me. It’ll hurt Nathan Lyon, but that’s why,” he told Fox Cricket.
“I hate it. I completely disagree with them not picking a spinner, let alone a spinner with 550 wickets,” O’Keefe said on the Chin Music podcast.
"If you're going innings by innings, OK, he didn't contribute (in the second innings in Durban after two wickets in the first), but they've won the Test.
“If I’m him (Lyon), I’m probably even more livid than I was when I was (left out) in Australia,” he added.