2nd Ashes test: Ricky Ponting Hits Back At Kevin Pietersen For His "Off-Spinner With Zero Variations" Remark On Nathan Lyon

Kevin Pietersen wasn't impressed with Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon despite the latter dominating the England batters on Day 3 of the ongoing Ashes second Test between the two sides at the Adelaide Oval. The former England skipper, in a tweet, termed Lyon, who has more than 400 Test wickets, as an off-spinner with "zero variations" and had urged the England batters to target the bowler. "Can SOMEONE please smack Lyon? FFS! Off spinner with zero variations and bowling on world cricket's flattest road," Pietersen had tweeted on Saturday.

Can SOMEONE please smack Lyon?!?!! FFS!
Off spinner with zero variations and bowling on world crickets flattest road!!!! #Ashes

— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) December 18, 2021

Pietersen's comments, however, didn't go down well with former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting.

"I wonder if Kev is still watching? The Goat's got another one. This is off-spin of the highest class. Four hundred Test wickets, Kev," news.com.au quoted Ponting as saying on 7Cricket.

"Lyon to Pietersen. Lyon got him four times for 163 runs and at the Adelaide Oval, the world's flattest cricket wicket, Kevin Pietersen, none for 14 off 23 balls with 15 dots and only one boundary. Come on Kev," added Ponting.

Pietersen, however, seemed miffed at the criticism he had been receiving for his remarks on the Australian spinner.

"It's quite bizarre how many Australians responded so negatively to my tweet about Lyon. The Aussie way would be to attack and NOT play him like these English batters. Because he's got 400 wickets, you're not allowed to attack him? Strange!" Pietersen wrote.

It's quite bizarre how many Australians responded so negatively to my tweet about Lyon.
The Aussie way would be to attack and NOT play him like these English batters.
Because he's got 400 wickets you're not allowed to attack him?!

Strange!

— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) December 18, 2021

Australia had bowled out England for 236 in the first innings with Mitchell Starc and Lyon taking four and three wickets, respectively. The hosts took a 237-run lead, having declared their first innings on 473/9.

At Dinner on Day 4, Australia were 134 for four with Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head 31 and 45, respectively.

Both, however, fell after the dinner break, but Australia's lead has gone past the 400-run mark.

Topics mentioned in this article

Australia Cricket Team England Cricket Team Nathan Lyon Ricky Ponting Kevin Pietersen The Ashes, 2021/22 Cricket Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Australia vs England, 2nd Test