Before Nathan Lyon’s arrival on the international scene and subsequent rise, Australia seemed to be stuck in an endless search for a spinner to succeed Shane Warne. Nobody could be as good as Warne, this was well-known, but the Aussies couldn’t find a spinner to do a good enough job for them.
Then came Nathan Lyon and things fell in place. The off-spinner has been more successful than anyone could have imagined. He not only earned the moniker of GOAT due to becoming the most successful off-break bowler in Australia’s history, but also reached the dizzying heights of 500+ Test wickets.
Search for Nathan Lyon’s successor
However, Lyon is now 36 years old, and in the next couple of years, Australia will have to start looking for his successor. They wouldn’t want to have the type of four years they endured from Shane Warne’s retirement in 2007 to Lyon’s arrival in 2011.
The Aussie selectors are already on the task. They picked Todd Murphy as Lyon’s understudy for the tour of India last year. He didn’t disappoint. The bespectacled offie picked up a 7-fer on his debut. Though Murphy didn’t bring the house down, he showed there is something to work with.
However, there is now a new name in the Australian off-spin bowling scene who has staked a claim to be Nathan Lyon’s successor.
Who has now staked his claim to be Lyon’s heir?
Corey Rocchiccioli is a 26 year old off-spinner who plays for Western Australia. Prior to the latest season of the Sheffield Shield, he had picked up 30 wickets in 14 first-class matches – a very modest record. But, in the 2023-24 season, things turned (pun intended) for the offie.
Rocchiccioli picked up 46 wickets in the recently completed Shield season, from 11 matches. This is the highest number of wickets picked up by an off-spinner in a season since Greg Matthews in 1991-92. In fact, the Western Australian has had the third best season for an offie in the history of Australian first-class cricket.
With this sort of success, he is certain to be on the radar of selectors when they think of picking a second spinner in an Australian Test squad. In fact, Australia are set to tour Sri Lanka next year. That tour is certain to require more than one spinner. With his rich haul in the latest Sheffield Shield season, Rocchiccioli is bound to get a place in it.
It’s not just the numbers. Corey Rocchiccioli plays most of his cricket at Perth, on those same bouncy wickets where Nathan Lyon has been a menace. He is, like Lyon, capable of getting good bounce of the wicket. On top of that, he can also get the ball to spin sharply. All these qualities make him a player worth watching out for.
So, keep your eyes peeled for the long-haired offie if, and when, he makes his debut for Australia. Who knows, he may do so this year, against India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
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