Arthur backs Lyon against Indian batsmen

Sydney: Australian coach Micky Arthur has given its backing to off-spinner Nathan Lyon to perform at SCG and feels his contest against the famed Indian batting lineup is going to be an interesting affair.

“There`s absolutely no doubt that they will try and go for him. Nathan is a pretty skilful off-spinner so I reckon that will develop into the very interesting contest,” said Arthur. Arthur also believes that if the pitch at the SCG is like the traditional pitches then Lyon is going to be crucial for Australian hopes of a second straight win in the series, a leading daily reports. “We`re going to get a lot of overs out of Nathan if it`s a typical SCG wicket and I`ve got full confidence in his ability to tie India down and, in the second innings, strike for us.” he adds. “I think it could be a pivotal contest providing we get enough runs on the board. If we have runs on the board Nathan becomes a very interesting prospect for us,” he further added. Traditionally Indian batsmen are known to be the best batsmen in the world against spin bowling. Mostly it’s the off spinners who have found it tough to make an impact against them in Australia. Despite SCG having a major grass cover, spin is still expected to play a big part during the Test match until and unless the conditions are overcast or the pitch is in a damp condition. ANI