The Ashes: Tim Paine MUST keep his spot in Australia squad, insists team-mate Nathan Lyon

Spinner Nathan Lyon has called for Tim Paine to retain his spot in Australia’s side for the Ashes despite resigning as captain over inappropriate behaviour.

The 36-year-old married father-of-two stepped down in tears just weeks before the first Test against England after it was revealed he sent explicit messages to a female Cricket Tasmania colleague back in 2017.

Lyon, who has formed a strong partnership with the wicketkeeper appointed to lead his country following the ‘sandpapergate’ cheating scandal in 2018, told reporters on Thursday that Paine should still be selected behind the stumps.

‘The selectors said they were going to pick the best available XI. In my eyes, Tim Paine is the best keeper in the world,’ Lyon said.

‘This is very selfish: From a bowler’s point of view I want the best gloveman behind the stumps.

‘Every bowler’s relationship with the keeper is exceptional.’

The New South Wales spinner said Paine was a ‘very lovable guy and very well respected’, indicating the former captain has the team’s backing to take on England when the series begins in Brisbane.

Lyon said: ‘I’m pretty sure I’m speaking on behalf of every bowler that we want the best keeper.

‘He’s got my full support and I 100 per cent guarantee he’s got the full support of the Australian change room,’ the 34-year-old added.

Lyon’s fellow Australia team-mate Marcus Harris has also backed Paine following the scandal, echoing Lyon’s point that he should make the Australia team for the opening Test at Brisbane on December 8 on the strength of his wicketkeeping abilities alone.

‘Yes, absolutely. He’s done a really good job in the last few years under tough circumstances, and I think you can still probably argue that he’s the best gloveman in the country,’ Harris said.

‘I know he’s got the support of all the players. Obviously Painey is a very popular member of the group, and he was as skipper as well.

‘So we’re looking forward to him getting up here in the next week or so and getting on with cricket.’

Harris added that most of the Australia team have contacted Paine in the wake of the scandal, having only been informed half an hour before it broke last week.

However, it will fall to the selectors to decide whether Paine maintains his place in Australia’s Ashes squad or whether he is cut loose.

A five-person panel will make the decision but it reportedly won’t include coach Justin Langer, who will concentrate on preparing the side.

Instead the job will fall to selectors George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide, Cricket Australia board member Mel Jones, chief executive Nick Hockley and chairman Richard Freudenstein.

Alex Carey is expected to take the gloves if Paine is dropped.

Harris wouldn’t be drawn on who should be the next captain, with Pat Cummins and Steve Smith – who himself was also forced to resign in disgrace due to his involvement in sandpapergate – among the frontrunners.

Another factor working against Paine is a shortage of match practice since he underwent neck surgery in September. His last competitive match prior to that was in April, when he played for Tasmania against Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield.

He made his return for Tasmania’s second XI on Monday, grabbing six catches, but was then out for a second ball duck.

His text exchange with the Cricket Tasmania staffer from 2017 included an unsolicited picture of his genitals and ‘graphic sexual comments’ that caused her to complain seven months later.

Paine was investigated and cleared of wrongdoing by Cricket Australia in 2018, when he confessed to his wife Bonnie that he sexted the woman over the course of 18 hours.

But the matter was kept secret for three years until the messages were made public on Friday afternoon and Paine tearfully resigned as Australian captain just weeks before the Ashes.

Meanwhile, play was abandoned on the third day of England’s warm-up against England Lions due to rain at Wellington Point, with Haseeb Hameed (53) and Rory Burns (39) both unbeaten at the crease.

England will take on Australia in the first Test at the Gabba from December 8 and the fifth and final Test is scheduled for Perth’s Optus Stadium on January 14.