'He bowled magnificently,' Andrew McDonald on Nathan Lyon's marathon spell against Sri Lanka

Bowling in the subcontinent can be a boon and a bane for a spinner, and Australian bowler Nathan Lyon will know all about it. 

Australia's leading off-spinner Nathan Lyon was put under the pump by the Sri Lankans in the recently concluded 2nd Test at Galle, where he bowled 64 overs in the first innings.

Lyon, the tenth highest wicket-taker (438) in Tests, managed just two scalps in his spell, giving away 194 runs.

However, his 64-overs did manage to throw up wicket-taking opportunities. Head coach Andrew McDonald believes this is what is required of him more than anything else.

According to West Australia, McDonald said, "It's a difficult one (on whether his spells are too long). He offers so much. If you create the opportunities at less than 50 balls a wicket, then you're doing a pretty good job. 

"I like to look at that rather than any potential figures you see at the end of the game. I thought he bowled magnificently well.

"With a little bit of luck on any other day, he might have ended up with five or six (wickets), but it wasn't to be."

The 34-year-old was the second-highest wicket-taking in the series, and if not for Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya, who claimed 12 wickets on his debut, the former would have ended up leading the charts.

That's our challenge: McDonald

McDonald explained that it is the job of the coaching/support staff to look at why these chances are not being taken and not be particularly critical of the player.

"That's our challenge when we are reviewing as coaches as well. Not to get caught up with the scorebook and actually look at the balls per opportunity.

"We know there are going to be mistakes within a game. And I don't think that should affect your plans if you are creating opportunities," he concluded.

Lyon's next Test assignment will be against West Indies when they tour Australia for a two-match series in November.