The visitors are now two up with three games to play and only need to avoid losing all three remaining Tests to retain the urn.

They achieved the win at Lord's without the services of off-spinner Nathan Lyon for much of the Test.

On the second afternoon, Lyon, having moved in from the boundary to collect another lofted shot into the outfield, pulled up. He limped off the field and was helped back to the pavilion by Australia’s physiotherapist.

Lyon looked distressed.

Next morning the extent of the injury became apparent when Lyon appeared on crutches with his right leg covered in bandage. Lyon, himself, called it, “a decent tear in my right calf”.

Since Lyon made his debut in August 2011, Australia have only won one Test match without him in the side. That’s primarily because Lyon’s outstanding fitness and consistency of form have allowed him to take part in all but four matches since then.

In fact, the Lord’s game was his 100th consecutive Test. An achievement only five other players have managed including Alan Border and Mark Waugh. Lyon is the first bowler to reach the milestone. The additional demands on the body generally mean that bowlers need to take a break, even spin bowlers.

Sadly, the run has now come to an end. Shortly after the Lord’s Test ended it was announced that he’d been ruled out for the rest of the series.

Lyon admitted, "I’ve been absolutely shattered. I’ve been in tears. I’ve been upset. I’ve been hurting.”

Back in January 2103 Mike Hussey retired from Test cricket. Hussey was the custodian of the team song. After a Test win, “Under the Southern Cross” is sung or rather, chanted raucously, by the victorious Australian team and support staff.

Hussey raised a few eyebrows when he chose Lyon to take over the duties. At the time, Lyon had just completed his 19th Test. It proved to be a shrewd choice.

Only two other players remain from that side that had just defeated Sri Lanka. David Warner who had just completed his fifteenth Test while it was Mitchell Starc’s seventh. Lord’s was Lyon’s 122nd match and, for various reasons, neither of the other two has pulled on the Baggy Green as many times as Lyon since his anointment.

At the time, in an interview to The West newspaper, Hussey said “I picked Nathan because I think he is a man of great character. He plays the game for the right reasons. I think he understands and respects the fabric of the Baggy Green cap and that’s what I want to come through from him when he leads the team songs in the future.”

Hussey was still the custodian of the team song for Australia’s only win in the matches that Lyon has missed since his debut. That makes the win at Lord’s the 55th time that Lyon has led the proceedings.

When asked about his role last week, Lyon said, “I’m not nearly as nervous as what I was when I first got it. But yeah, that’s another really humbling moment, when ‘Huss’ gave me the honour of leading that team song. I feel like it’s level pegging with the captain to have that honour to lead the team song for each and every individual inside that team, including the staff.”

The fact that Lyon considers it as important as captaincy demonstrates the attributes that Hussey had identified in the off-spinner. Not only that, but Hussey had recognised that Lyon was going to be a key member of the Australian side for several more years.

Lyon’s belief in utmost duty to the team and its cause was highlighted when Australia lost their eighth wicket while leading by 352 runs. Australia believed that a few more runs were in order and Lyon was seen hobbling down from the dressing room and through the Long Room to wait by the gate onto the playing area.

When Josh Hazlewood was out, Lyon dragged himself out to the middle. At one point he even managed to run a single but was in so much pain afterwards that Pat Cummins looked horrified on the players’ balcony. He helped add 15 runs for the last wicket even clouting a boundary off Stuart Broad.

He explained that it was his decision, "I wanted to bat. It was my call. I love this team. I love playing cricket for Australia and if I can keep playing my role and help out my teammates here and there, I'll do that.”

Although Lyon managed to reach one hundred consecutive Tests he missed out on a couple more achievements. After having Zak Crawley stumped in England’s first innings, he now has 496 Test wickets to his name.

Back in 2015 on a tour to the West Indies he took his 142nd and immediately gained the nickname GOAT, “Greatest Of All Time”. Surprisingly, this was the most wickets taken in Tests by an Australian off spinner. He had passed the 141 of Hugh Trumble taken between 1890 and 1904.

Something else that Lyon missed out on was a chance to gain a place on the prestigious Lord’s honours board. The only Australian player in the current squad that appears on it is Steve Smith. He had his name added for a second time following his 110 in the first innings in the latest win.

For the likes of some the chance has almost certainly gone. David Warner won’t be touring again and the opportunity has almost certainly passed for Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

Lyon is a humble player when it comes to acknowledging achievements and records. He wouldn’t mind if he appeared on the Lord’s honours board or not as long as Australia is winning.

After the Lord’s victory, they are already in a strong enough position to almost certainly retain The Ashes without his services.

A calf strain is not a career ending injury. His chance to take his 500th Test wicket will come even if it’s not in this series.

Lyon was still being as positive as he could be, “This is just a little speed bump in the road. This isn’t career defining. I’m hungrier than ever right now to get back out there.”

With that attitude a place on the Lord’s honours board is not yet out of the question.
His resilience suggests that it would be no surprise if he was back in 2027 for his fifth Ashes tour at the age of 39.

It would provide one more chance to have his name engraved on the board at the self-proclaimed Home of Cricket, something that his efforts and talent surely deserve.