England spinner Tom Hartley is gearing up for an invaluable learning experience as he is set to play alongside Australian cricket maestro Nathan Lyon for Lancashire in the upcoming County Championship. Hartley, who has been impressing on his debut Test tour during the ongoing England-India series, is eager to absorb knowledge and enhance his skills by sharing the dressing room with the experienced off-spinner.
Expressing his admiration for Nathan Lyon, Tom Hartley emphasized his desire to replicate Lyon’s success across diverse playing conditions. Lyon, standing as the fourth-highest wicket-taker among spinners in Test cricket, has mastered the art of bowling in various conditions globally. Hartley sees this stint with Lyon as an opportunity to learn and improve his craft.
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“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 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,” said Tom Hartley in an interview with the BBC.
Reflecting on his debut Test tour, Tom Hartley, the left-arm spinner, expressed newfound self-belief after a strong performance in the England-India series. With 20 wickets in four matches, he leads the wicket-takers’ chart in the series. The 24-year-old shared that the experience in India has instilled confidence in his abilities to perform at the highest level, fostering a positive mindset and a change in approach to the game.
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“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,” said Tom Hartley.
As the India-England series heads to its final match in Dharamsala, Hartley looks forward to continued growth, both in the ongoing series and through his experience with Lyon in the upcoming County Championship.
