LONDON: Nathan Lyon was the one Australia cricketer who seemingly never gets hurt.
On the landmark occasion of his 100th consecutive test, a testament to durability, he was hurt.
Lyon was suspected to have torn his right calf on Thursday while running to catch a fly ball in the field during day two of the second Ashes test at Lord’s.
He pulled up and grabbed his calf. He needed help to slowly limp back to the pavilion.
“We’re going to miss him this game and could miss him for a little while,” teammate Steve Smith said.
Cricket Australia said Lyon will be assessed overnight, without elaborating.
If the 35-year-old Lyon has a torn calf, it’s a two-month injury and he will miss the rest of the five-match Ashes series.
His value to Australia is immense. The off-spinner took a team-leading eight wickets in the opening win at Edgbaston last week, and took the first England wicket in the second test on Thursday.
Zak Crawley was his 496th career wicket. Lyon was poised in this test to become only the eighth man to 500.
Lyon had just finished bowling his 13th over, conceding only 35 runs overall, while three of his teammates were giving up seven an over at the time. He’d been summoned to bowl after only 11 overs of the innings.
Without Lyon, Australia relied on Travis Head and Steve Smith as spin alternatives.
The last time Lyon, who debuted in 2011, missed a test was the 2013 Ashes match at Lord’s. He became only the sixth man, and first bowler, to play 100 in a row.
