Lyon roars on return to Ashes stage in Adelaide

Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox

ADELAIDE, Dec 18 - After an upsetting omission from the second Ashes test in Brisbane, spinner Nathan Lyon was all smiles on Thursday as he celebrated his recall to the Australian XI with a two-wicket burst that launched a day of pain for England at Adelaide ‍Oval.

Lyon teamed ​up with recalled skipper Pat Cummins to blitz Englands top order before lunch on ‍a scorching day two.

By stumps, the tourists were 213 for eight with their hopes of turning the series around all but gone.

Inserted into the Australian attack ​early, Lyon ​struck with his third ball to have Ollie Pope caught for three. Three balls later, he bowled opener Ben Duckett for 29 with a peach of a delivery that beat the bats outside edge before clipping the top of off-stump.

The Duckett wicket put Lyon ‍second on Australias all-time list for test wickets with 564, one better than pace great Glenn McGrath. Only legspin king Shane Warne ​has more (708).

Rarely one to rave about milestones, Lyon made it ⁠clear this one felt special.

I hadnt really thought about it just yet, but I grew up idolising Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and these guys, he told reporters after an exhausting day in the field.

To be able to take over or equal Glenn, or however you want to put it, its pretty humbling to be ​honest with you, and its something that Ill look back at the end of my career, or even tonight, and sit back and try and have a ‌moment.

Two weeks ago, Lyon was stewing about being dropped ​for a first home test since 2012.

He said he was filthy (angry) with selectors