Nathan Lyon appointed NSW captain for Sheffield Shield opener
What's the story
Australian Test spinner Nathan Lyon has been named the captain of New South Wales (NSW) for the upcoming Sheffield Shield opener. This will be his first time leading the team, as regular skipper Jack Edwards is currently with Australia A in India. The match against Western Australia will take place in Perth on Saturday.
Career highlights
Lyon's experience and previous captaincy
Lyon, who has taken 176 wickets in 52 Sheffield Shield matches for NSW, is the team's 122nd First-Class captain, as per FOX Sports. Cricket NSW Chief Cricket Performance Officer Greg Mail praised Lyon as a "tremendous performer at the highest level for over a decade" and someone players look up to. Lyon had previously captained South Australia in a Sheffield Shield match against Queensland back in 2012.
Leadership approach
Lyon's thoughts on captaincy
Expressing his thoughts on the new role, Lyon said it was a "massive honor to captain the state you were born in and dreamt of playing cricket for." He added that getting the call was very humbling. Talking about his leadership style, he said it's all about leading by example and being approachable, just like Pat Cummins advises: "staying nice and calm out in the middle."
Upcoming challenge
Blues's Sheffield Shield opener against Western Australia
The Blues's Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia will be played at the WACA on Saturday at 12:30pm AEST. The team has been bolstered by the return of teenage opener Sam Konstas, who scored a century during Australia A's tour of India last month. When asked about his expectations from Konstas in the first three rounds of the Sheffield Shield, Lyon simply said "Runs."