The 32-year-old Nathan Lyon was implied to play in the first half of the Hampshire’s County Championship campaign this season.
However, with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic delaying the start of the English season until at least May 28, the deal had to be canceled.
At a video interview on Tuesday, Lyon said the decision was a mutual one.
Australian Test spinner Nathan Lyon says it is “disappointing” not to be able to play county cricket with Hampshire this year but remains confident of reviving the opportunity in the near future.
“We’re in a little bit different circumstances to what we’re used to, so it was a pretty easy decision from both the club and me here that probably the time’s not right to head over there,” he stated.
“It’s pretty disappointing that we’re unable to head over to Hampshire and be a part of that amazing club over there and play a lot of county cricket and hopefully help them on the way to a championship, but it’s not… meant to be.”
Lyon called his time spent at Hampshire during Australia’s Ashes campaign “absolutely brilliant” and said he believed a stint with the club in the future might help take his game to “new levels.”
“There is a lot of goals to go back there,” he stated.
We had some really good conversations there and possibly about potentially coming over and playing some county cricket.
“They’ve got some unbelievable facilities there to train with, and I feel like my game might go to a couple of new levels there if I was hopefully able to spend some time over there in the county season, so I look forward to the future.”
Hampshire director of cricket Giles White said on Friday that he hopes “to welcome Lyon to the club next season.”
