Mitchell Swepson admits to learn from Lyon to win a Test spot

Mitchell Swepson admits to learn from Lyon to win a Test spot

The leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson has confessed to looking up to Nathan Lyon for cementing his place in the Test squad.  

Swepson, who made his red-ball debut earlier this year had been yearning for a spot in the team for the last few years. In his recent outing against Sri Lanka, the 28-year-old finished with figures of 5/89 and partnered with Lyon to help the team in winning the game by 10 wickets. 

The Queensland-based spinner tried hard in learning to land the ball in a right place and get an optimum amount of purchase from the surface as of the experienced spinner. 

“I made a conscious effort to look at the way ‘Gaz’ [Lyon] was going about his work, trying to think about ‘how do I get to a level where I’m considered Test standard, where these guys might actually consider picking me’,” Swepson told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. 

“I was looking at what he was doing - he has great shape on his stock ball, lands it so well, but still able to put good revs on it.”

Swepson felt that the 34-year-old spinner does not provide enough time for the batters to react, and also gets a good grip from the surface. 

“I also thought the pace that he bowled at was slightly quicker than what most people are used to and it gives them less chance to react off the wicket. So, I made an effort to go a little bit quicker through the air but also spin the ball hard and get that nice shape, drifting in and dropping. Never wanting to sacrifice that.

Mitchell Swepson talks about his neck injury

The talented spinner sustained a rare stress fracture in February last year and missed most of the domestic matches, which also kept him out of contention for the Baggy Green. Swepson thinks the reason for this injury was his will to replicate the delivery stride and trying to extract a little bit more from the surface, as Lyon does for the Aussie team. 

“I actually had a few of the physios and coaches say maybe that’s why you got the neck injury, trying to bowl with extra oomph, and that might’ve been what did it to me,” said Swepson. 

In the end, he hopes to be more consistent in his performances in the coming years. 

“As a leggie, I will always want to be more consistent, This will be a constant journey until I retire,” Swepson concluded.