Nathan Lyon has backed Australia team-mate James Pattinson after the paceman's costly no-ball allowed Brendon McCullum to make Test history on Saturday. Pattinson had McCullum superbly caught by Mitchell Marsh at gully with the outgoing New Zealand captain on 39 during day one of the second Test at Hagley Oval.
To say McCullum made the most of that reprieve would be something of an understatement, as he went on to smash a 54-ball century - the quickest ton in Test history, eclipsing >56-ball hundreds from Viv Richards and Misbah ul-Haq .
Pattinson eventually got his man, dismissing McCullum in the 46th over, but only after the 34-year-old had bludgeoned his way to 145 off 79 deliveries to put the Black Caps - who were reeling at 32-3 upon his arrival at the crease - firmly back in the game.
Nathan Lyon chats about Brendon McCullum's incredible innings on the opening day in Christchurch >#NZvAUS>https://t.co/JcmCX9tNsW
— Cricket Video (@CricketVideo) >February 20, 2016
Off-spinner Lyon, who took the catch that brought McCullum's stunning innings to an end, refused to blame Pattinson, though. "No-balls are a part of the game, we all know that," said Lyon. "I know it's easy for you guys to sit here and say get your foot behind the front line, but you've got to play in front of a full crowd, there's a lot of adrenaline going.
"James Pattinson was just trying to do his best for his country. We're going to be right behind James and he has got a big role to do for us in the second innings."
Lyon went on to laud McCullum, who will retire from all forms of international cricket after this Test. "[It was] pretty good striking, pretty amazing striking really. He has been a credit to the game of cricket the way he has conducted himself for New Zealand for a long period of time, so to see him come out there, that was pretty amazing," Lyon continued.
"He rode his luck and that's the way he has played cricket. I'm pretty sure it's the way that he'd want to go down in his career: a person that took the game on."
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