Murphy to push case in Shield after key Ashes lessons

Todd Murphy's Test career may be just six matches old, but already he's ticked a few things off the bucket list. 

Playing in an Ashes series and getting Virat Kohli out four times are two such items, but it's bowling in tandem with Australia's greatest off-spinner that the young Victorian already ranks as a career highlight. 

The pair's bond goes further than master and apprentice, and it's Nathan Lyon's advice that Murphy will keep coming back to when he steps onto WACA Ground on Wednesday to begin his first Marsh Sheffield Shield season as a centrally contracted player – a rematch of last year's final against Western Australia.

"The main thing that he (Lyon) brings is calmness to me," Murphy told cricket.com.au ahead of the 2023-24 summer. 

"You've always got a guy that you can talk to about spin bowling and he can simplify things and just bring it back to a level that we both understand. That for me makes it really easy being out there with him. 

"To come into a group where you've got a guy that's so established and been so successful throughout his career and be able to just work with him day in, day out (has been) so beneficial for me. 

"He's been really giving of his time to me and has taken real care in my development and helping me through the early stages of my career." 

With Aussie fans holding their breath as Lyon was helped from the field on the second day at Lord's with what would later be confirmed as a significant tear to his right calf, Murphy was at London's Borough Market enjoying a rare afternoon off with his partner when his phone started buzzing. 

Brought over to the UK as the understudy to continue his development after a maiden Test tour, the 22-year-old's mind couldn't help but race ahead to what an injury to Australia's No.1 spinner meant for him.

He said delivering that first ball in Ashes cricket to England skipper Ben Stokes on day two at Headingley was "the most nervous" he'd ever been in his career so far. 

But it was made all the easier by Lyon (who Murphy said sat with him during the final days of the Lord's Test after the injury had rubbed him out for the rest of the series) who told him to trust the skills he had and "keep believing in it".

"When you see what happens and can tell the significance of it straightaway, your mind goes straight ahead to what's next for you,” Murphy recalled. 

"It's obviously so disappointing for 'Nath', but it definitely was a moment where you do get quite excited and go 'well, maybe I will get to play Ashes cricket'. 

"And it turns from being over there not expecting to play any Ashes cricket to 'OK, maybe I do have a role to play now and what does that mean for me?'"

With Lyon nearing a return to full fitness with a comeback for NSW imminent ahead of the five-Test summer against Pakistan and the West Indies, Murphy is steadying himself for a big block of six Shield games prior to KFC BBL|13.

With Australia's next two home summers split by a two-match tour of traditionally seam friendly New Zealand, and Lyon showing no signs of slowing down, Murphy was not sure when his next opportunity at international level might come. 

He started the domestic season with one wicket across Victorian's two Marsh Cup wins and has vowed to keep pushing his case alongside Test teammate Scott Boland to ensure he's ready to go should Lyon need a sidekick or injury strikes once more. 

"I'm really keen to get back to Victoria and just try to keep improving, keep developing and push my case forward," he said. 

"The biggest thing that I've always tried to come back to is just making sure that I've got energy behind the ball.  

"That starts from my run up so that's the one thing I'll continually check in with."

Victoria squad v WA: Will Sutherland (c), Peter Handscomb, Scott Boland, Travis Dean, Sam Harper, Campbell Kellaway, Jon Merlo, Todd Murphy, Fergus O'Neill, Mitch Perry, Will Pucovski, Tom Rogers, Peter Siddle.