Didn't know whether to laugh, cry or scream: Nathan Lyon on Steve Smith's comeback century

Nathan Lyon, Australia's premier off-spinner was at the non-striker's when Steve Smith, stranded on 99*, finally drove one celestially through the covers to bring up a magnificent century on his Test return. Lyon witnessed the outpour of joy from Smith whose rescue act took Australia to a respectable total in the first innings of the Ashes opener.

Speaking to Cricket Australia before the 2nd Day's play, Lyon went through the jitters around the ground when Smith was in the nervous nineties and the jubilated that the savoured cover-drive brought with it. The extended celebration and the emotional embrace between the two Aussies were special, reckoned Lyon.

England v Australia - 1st Specsavers Ashes Test: Day One

He admitted that he was pretty nervous when Smith moved onto 99* and he had to see out two deliveries from Moeen Ali to bring Smith back on strike in the next over. Smith, eventually, brought up the much-deserving hundred in the next over and got a special applause from the Australian balcony overlooking the ground. When asked about the emotions surrounding that surreal moment, Nathan Lyon exclaimed,

"To see what he has been through and for him to come out and achieve what he did, yeah, I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or scream but it was one of those weird ones where I was trying to give him a big cuddle and tell him well done. But, yeah, it was one of those pretty proud moments."

Lyon also praised the fightback that Australia displayed in the latter part of the day but conceded that they shouldn't be looking too far into the future given they still need to be at their best to knock over England. According to him, the pitch has played nicely so far and it's going to be a bit of a turmoil for the Aussie bowling attack. Lyon feels that everyone in this four-pronged attack would need to chip if Australia are to dent England some blows early on in the series.

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