"He's someone I want to try to replicate" - Tom Hartley excited to rub shoulders with Nathan Lyon at Lancashire
England spinner Tom Hartley recently said that he will be hoping to learn from Australia's Nathan Lyon when they represent Lancashire together in English county cricket. The 24-year-old stated that Lyon's performances over the years, especially on the flat surfaces in Australia, have been incredibly impressive.
Since his debut in 2011, Lyon has grown to become Australia's greatest off-spinner ever. The 36-year-old has now taken 527 wickets and recently achieved the feat of taking a fifer in nine different nations.
With Lyon set to play for Lancashire, Hartley hopes the veteran Aussie can help him learn the trade well, especially with respect to bowling on flat surfaces.
The youngster told BBC Sport:
"He's someone I want to try to replicate. To be an international cricketer you have to able to perform in different conditions and Nathan is a guy that can really help me. I hope he's going to be fantastic for me and be a real game-changer. The type of bowler he is is something I'm trying to work on. The way he operates in Australia on pretty flat wickets, there are times when English wickets are pretty similar. He's going to be great to learn off."
Hartley made his debut against India in Hyderabad and bowled England to victory with seven wickets in the fourth innings of the first Test of the ongoing series. He is still the highest wicket-taker from either side after four Tests, taking 20 wickets at 33.45.
"Coming here has made me believe" - Tom Hartley
The left-arm spinner claimed that the ongoing India tour has been a massive learning curve and made him believe he can perform at this level. He added:
"I'd not really played a whole lot of red-ball cricket, but coming here has made me believe that I do have a talent for this and I can perform at this level. When I go out on the field I'm really trying, believing and thinking that I can do well. It's not just a case of bowling and hoping the batter chips one up, or trying to go at two or three an over. It's been a complete change of mindset."
England are currently trailing the five-Test series 3-1 with one match to play.