Samantha Rogers: Nathan Lyon’s career comes full circle in Galle, as he claims 550th wicket where it all began

Not even Nathan Lyon could have imagined what he would achieve when he bowled his first ball in Galle back in 2011. But the first scalp he claimed, Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkar, might have been an omen. More than a decade later, Lyon fittingly took his 550th Test wicket where it all began for the former groundsman. With the dismissal of Dinesh Chandimal on day three of the second Test Galle, Lyon further cemented his legacy as the ‘GOAT’ - Australia’s greatest-ever off-spinner - as he became just the seventh bowler and third Australian to reach the milestone. He now sits in an exclusive club alongside Aussie legends Shane Warne (708) and Glenn McGrath (563) Soon after, Lyon claimed his 551st and then his 552nd, as he crept ever closer to McGrath’s position as Australia’s second-highest Test wicket-taker. With a one-off Test against South Africa and a three-Test series against West Indies on the horizon, Lyon could leapfrog the fast bowler before next summer’s Ashes series and is almost certain to do so before the end of the calendar year. The 37-year-old has already declared he has no intention to retire anytime soon. While 550 wickets is a remarkable feat for any bowler, Lyon’s achievement is even more significant given he plays the majority of his cricket in Australia, claiming 268 of his wickets on home soil. Earlier in the second Test, he became the first non-Asian player to pick up 150 Test wickets in Asia. For comparison, Warne took 127 wickets in Asia, a feat Lyon has already surpassed by some margin. His consistency, durability and longevity has ensured he has been Australia’s top spinner for more than a decade. But given Australia will be motivated to avoid another post-Warne fiasco, a succession plan is likely in motion behind the scenes. Matt Kuhnemann has seemingly himself at the front of the line with a strong series in Sri Lanka, while Todd Murphy remains in the conversation and the Test squad. But even if his career has come full circle in Galle, Lyon isn’t about to step off the ride.