Don't know if Nathan Lyon will be picked for third Test says Steve Smith

Lyon (left) with Steve Smith 

Australia skipper Steve Smith has slammed Nathan Lyon and said he will get some slow-bowling support in the form of a second tweaker in the side for the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Lyon has just taken nine wickets this summer and was hammered all over the park by the Pakistani lower order on Day three of the Boxing Day Test.

The offspinner was targeted by Pakistan number eight Sohail Khan who lofted him for four massive sixes on the day before it started raining again.

With this game heading to a stalemate the focus has already shifted to Sydney where the third game will be played. Australia must not lose the outing in order to clinch the series win.

When questioned if Lyon was a guaranteed selection for the Sydney Test, Smith replied: "I'm not sure, that's up to the selectors.

 "He obviously hasn't bowled at his best in this game. It's always difficult bowling to right-handers; I think they've only got two (left-handers) in their line-up,” he was quoted by the Cricket Australia website. 

 "And they play spin pretty well so it's never easy bowling against subcontinent players when the ball isn't doing a lot off the wicket. We're just looking for Nathan to be a little more consistent in the way he bowls."

The SCG has been a spinner’s paradise this season with 28 of 37 wickets falling to tweakers in a Sheffield Shield game there in November. And two players who were the wreckers in chief in the game, left-arm spinners Ashton Agar and Steve O'Keefe might be considered when the selectors announce the squad for the third Test tomorrow.

"I think it's possible that we could see another spinner in Sydney," Smith said. "It's been spinning quite a lot there in Shield cricket this season so there's a good chance there'd be a spinner added.”

"(The fast bowlers) have done some bowling and it's obviously been a pretty big summer for them as well. Six Tests matches is always a lot. They've done some yards, which is a little concerning but I think they're pretty confident in their bodies that everything is going OK.”

"We had Hilton in here as cover for those quicks who had a big workload last week and they were confident they could get through and get the job done. It's going to be about summing it up and seeing where they're at come the end of this Test match."