[Watch] "There's one Test to come, mate" - Nathan Lyon refuses to reveal plan for Kane Williamson after Day 3 of NZ vs AUS 1st Test
Veteran Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon claimed that he had laid a trap for New Zealand star batter Kane Williamson to get the latter dismissed during Day 3 of the first Test between the two teams in Wellington on Saturday, March 2.
Steve Smith caught Williamson at leg-slip as the former tried to work a delivery from Lyon behind square. The way the Australian players celebrated indicated that the visitors had a plan for the former Kiwi skipper.
Speaking to the reporters after the end of play on Day 3, here's what Nathan Lyon had to say about Kane Williamson's dismissal:
"Yeah, that was the plan. It's nice when plans come off pretty much straight away. But I have noticed something in Kane's batting against my bowling. So, yeah I tried to exploit that."
When a reporter asked Lyon whether he would want to elaborate on what potential weakness he had noticed in Williamson's batting, the veteran off-spinner cheekily replied:
"There's one Test to come, mate (smiles)."
Here's the video of the dismissal:
Williamson was run out on a duck in the first innings and it was almost imperative for him to score big in the second essay to give the hosts the best chance of chasing down the target of 369. However, his dismissal for nine could be a pivotal moment in the game as he has often been the glue that has held New Zealand's batting together.
Nathan Lyon defends Australia's batting collapse
One of the main reasons the Kiwis were chasing 369 to win and not a lot more was the way Australia's batting collapsed in their second innings. The visitors were bundled out for 164, with Nathan Lyon being the highest scorer (41).
However, Lyon defended his teammates and claimed that the credit should be given to the Kiwi bowlers for making things happen. He stated:
"The bowlers are actually there to bowl good balls. And it's not always the batters' fault getting out and bowlers are allowed to come up with plans and execute and take wickets. No doubt there will be some frustration in there."
Despite a fightback from New Zealand, they are still 258 runs away from winning the Test. Rachin Ravindra (56*) and Daryl Mitchell (12*) will resume their partnership on Day 4 with the hosts' score being 111/3.
Lyon could get even more grip from the surface as the game progresses and could be the biggest threat to the Kiwis.