It came late but Nathan Lyon all but closed the door on Australia playing an all-pace attack in next week’s Ashes opener with a fine spell for NSW against Queensland in Brisbane on Thursday.
The Test spinner was kept in reserve by Blues skipper Brad Haddin until the 50th over on day two at Allan Border Field but ended with two wickets as the Bulls limped to 9-216 at stumps in reply to NSW’s 368.
Lyon took 2-10 off eight overs as the Blues took complete control of the Sheffield Shield encounter, backing up the earlier work of ex-Test paceman Trent Copeland (5-49) whose 10th first-class five-wicket haul decimated the hosts’ top order.
Queensland had earlier been travelling well, reaching 1-99 before a storm forced an early lunch – and changed the game’s momentum.
Copeland came out after the break to end a 91-run second wicket stand between Usman Khawaja (58) and Greg Moller (43), dismissing both as the Bulls lost 3-13 inside four overs.
From there the wickets became a procession with only Bulls skipper James Hopes (40) offering any resistance.
Hopes, who admitted his team face a huge task to salvage anything from the game, said Lyon had sounded a big warning to England with his brief spell.
“I wasn’t surprised when Harts (Chris Hartley) came out that they brought him on to bowl, he bowls well to left-handers as most off-spinners do,” Hopes told AAP.
“He’s bowling well. He’s getting great curl on the ball. He’s getting good drift and I think he should be very much looking forward to playing at the Gabba.”
Test batsman Steve Smith said there was no reason behind Lyon being kept out of the attack for so long beyond Steve O’Keefe’s (0-35) left-arm finger-spinners being more useful against Queensland’s right-handers.
He also said Lyon wasn’t needed with Copeland bowling so well.
“We’re obviously in a position where we can drive the game, Trent bowled beautifully today,” Smith told AAP.
“We shut the scoreboard down and today Trent was the one that reaped the rewards.
“(Lyon) looked to land them in good areas and got a bit of bounce and a little bit of turn. All the bowlers did the job today.”
The match resumes at 9am local time (1000 AEDT) with 112 overs to be bowled due to Thursday’s rain delay.