Nathan Lyon's continual quest to find an extra edge has impressed Australia assistant coach Daniel Vettori as much as the 35-year-old's mastery of his role in the team.
Australia's offspinner Lyon has 43 Test wickets this year, three behind England left-arm orthodox spinner Jack Leach who has the most in world cricket in 2022.
Vettori took 362 wickets bowling his own left-arm offbreaks for New Zealand.
Ahead of the Boxing Day Test against South Africa he said Lyon had fine-tuned his 'slider', a new delivery he started working on with coach Andrew McDonald last year. Lyon dismissed South Africa batter Kyle Verreyyne with it in the first innings at the Gabba.
"He has just become more and more comfortable with it. We all understand that Nathan's stock ball is exceptional but to bring in some little subtle variations is the key," Vettori said.
"As he gets to the back-end of his career he still wants to keep improving and I think that is the nice thing about working with him. There is always a desire for improvement."
Lyon has 454 Test wickets and Vettori said "the spin and bounce" he generated set him apart. The vicious turner that accounted for Temba Bavuma in the second innings at the Gabba was a classic example.
"You don't come across that so often and where Nath has separated himself (from the rest) is in conditions that don't always suit him," Vettori said.
"He is the one that has adapted best at the Gabba, Perth, Adelaide and understood best what he has to do in every situation.
Lyon has been consistent for an extended period of time and is not only a wicket taker but also economical and holds up an end.
"That is a dream role for a spinner and what Shane Warne provided Australia for so long," Vettori said.
"To be able to have him at one end, and attack and defend at the same time, is incredible and allows the fast bowling attack to operate.
"Leach is doing it in a different way (for England), in that he has been asked to attack the whole time and they are not so worried about the economy. He's been exceptional for over a year and it is always nice to see finger spinners doing well."
Vettori said "not much" when asked what the MCG might offer spinners in the second Test, based on what occurred last year when the seamers dominated in the Australia v England clash.
"And in previous years it has felt like it has been a lot of hard work for all bowlers," he said.
