Nathan Lyon Set For Historic Moment In ENGvsAUS Lord's Ashes Test

Nathan Lyon is set to create history on Wednesday (June 28) when he takes to the field at the Home of Cricket - Lord's Cricket Ground in London for the second Ashes 2023 Test between England and Australia.

The veteran off-spinner, who has been vital for Australia in the red ball format over the years at home or away with crucial break throughs, will become the first bowler to play in 100 consecutive Test matches.

While he is the first bowler to achieve this feat, Lyon is the sixth cricketer to reach the milestone, joining former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, former England skipper Alastair Cook, former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum as well as compatriots Mark Waugh and Allan Border.

Players with Most Consecutive Appearances In Tests

1. Alastair Cook (England) - 159 Matches

2. Allan Border (Australia) - 153 Matches

3. Mark Waugh (Australia) - 103 Matches

4. Sunil Gavaskar (India) - 102 Matches

5. Brendon McCullum (New Zealand) - 101 Matches

6. Nathan Lyon (Australia) - 99 Matches

Test cricket is very challenging as it's five-day contest and to play over 100 matches is a huge achievement, but to play them without missing a single match for the country is an even more bigger achievement.

From the above list, only Lyon is a bowler that will achieve the feat of 100 consecutive Test match appearances. The 35-year-old, who was a ground staff at the Adelaide Oval, earned his first Test cap in 2011.

Lyon has so far made 121 appearances for the Baggy Greens in the red ball format. The seasoned spinner has claimed close to 500 wickets. In fact, the off-spinner is very close to a milestone for wickets in Tests.

The spinner is just five wickets away from becoming the eighth player and fourth spinner to claim 500 wickets in Test cricket. Here is a look at the top 10 highest wicket-takers in Tests.

Most Wickets in Test Cricket

Player	Team	Innings	Wickets
Muttiah Muralitharan	Sri Lanka	230	800
Shane Warne	Australia	273	708
James Anderson	England	335	686
Anil Kumble	India	236	619
Stuart Broad	England	301	588
Glenn McGrath	Australia	243	563
Courtney Walsh	West Indies	242	519
Nathan Lyon	Australia	227	495
Ravichandran Ashwin	India	174	474
Dale Steyn	South Africa	171	439

After his eight-wicket haul in the first Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham, the veteran is likely to reach the 500-wicket milestone in the second Test at Lord's or before the Ashes 2023 series ends.

The two England pace legends James Anderson and Stuart Broad are also close to milestones. Anderson is 14 wickets away from 700 wickets, while Broad is 12 wickets away from 600 wickets in the longest format.