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“It’s more about the team environment and making sure I get the opportunity to pass it onto someone who I love and absolutely love the way he goes about things, on and off the field.”
Nathan Lyon blasts a rendition of ‘Underneath the Southern Cross’ at Old Trafford during the 2019 Ashes. Credit: Getty
The honour will now fall to Alex Carey, who led the rendition in the changerooms at Kensington Oval after Australia’s 159-run win last week in Barbados.
A day earlier, Lyon invited himself to Carey’s room at the team hotel to break the news to the 33-year-old wicketkeeper with 41 Tests to his name since 2021.
Lyon had originally planned to hand over the role at the World Test Championship final, but Australia’s shock loss to South Africa at Lord’s saw those plans shelved.
Instead, he wrote Carey — a fellow South Australian — a letter, explaining why he was the man for the job. The rest of the squad found out after the win.
Alex Carey and Nathan Lyon in action for Australia. Credit: Getty
Carey had been ready to assume the role during the 2023 Ashes when Lyon injured his calf but Australia did not win another match in the series.
“I feel like Alex is the perfect candidate and I kind of feel I’ve run my race with it,” Lyon said. “It’s time for someone else to put their touch on it.
“He was pretty taken aback by it … it was cool.”
Former Test captain Ian Chappell said in a 2007 interview he learnt Southern Cross from a fellow Australian cricketer, Raymond Patrick Hogan, while playing for Ramsbottom in a minor northern English league 1963.
“When I recited Southern Cross to Rod Marsh, he liked it so much it became the Australian team’s victory song,” Chappell said.
More beer ... Chris Rogers pours a VB on David Warner at the SCG in 2014.Credit: Ryan Pierse
“The first time Rod sang it was after we beat England in 1974 [when Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson made their terrifying debut against England] at the Gabba. We were down in the dressing room having a few beers and he sang it.”
Song honours were passed down from Marsh, to Allan Border, to David Boon, to Ian Healy and then to Ricky Ponting.
When Ponting became Test captain in 2004, he asked Justin Langer to become Australia’s song-master. Langer always spoke about the immense pride of such an honour.
In 2007, Langer passed the role onto Hussey, who then gave it to Lyon in early 2013. Hussey told the young off-spinner to bring “three Coronas to my room” before breaking the news ahead of his farewell Test against Sri Lanka at the SCG.
Justin Langer after his farewell Test at the SCG in 2007. Credit: Tim Clayton
Of the 125 Tests where Lyon led the song, Australia won 69, drew 19 and lost 39.
However, Lyon is adamant the handover does not mark the beginning of the end.
His numbers remain sharp: he averaged 24.95 with the ball in 2023, 22.69 in 2024, and sits at 25.55 this year. Lyon still dreams of winning Test series in India and England in 2027.
Lyon needs 152 wickets to equal Shane Warne’s Australian record of 708, but is closing in on Glenn McGrath’s tally of 563 after taking match figures of 3-48 in Barbados.
“Warnie’s [record] is a long way away and in my eyes he’s the greatest ever to play the game,” Lyon said. “I’m just lucky to be a part of a pretty special cricket team at the moment. We’re on our way to becoming a great cricket team. To be part of this bowling attack and play my role is special. That’s the reason why I keep playing.”
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Asked for his top three favourite wins as Australia’s song-master, Lyon said: “I’ve got an amazing photo at home of a team song that we did at the Adelaide Oval when ‘Hughesy’ [Phil Hughes] passed away. There’s a photo with all the players and staff in a perfect zero [formation] with the four and the eight on the other side (Hughes was Australian Test player No.408). It’s a pretty amazing photo.
“My first Test was probably my most nerve-wracking one [when Australia beat England at the Gabba in 2013].
“And one that jumps out to me was at the SCG [in 2013] when we won 5-0 against England. We ended up singing it about three times that night. Every one has been special.”
