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The most popular and the best – perfect for artificial grass

Artificial grass (AG) pitches have become increasingly more popular over the years. People who don't like mowing or maintaining natural grass in their backyards, parks or pitches find it an easy solution that pleases everyone. Now, if you're a soccer player who either seeks out artificial pitches or finds themselves most commonly playing on them, you need the best AG soccer cleats supporting you.

When it comes to picking the right pair of soccer cleats, finding ones made for the surface you play on is just as important as their design when it comes to safety and efficiency. Playing in the right soccer cleats helps you prevent injuries and get the best out of your game on the surface pitch you're playing on.

Looking for the latest soccer cleat releases of 2023? GOAL has you covered

We’ve rounded up the best artificial ground cleats you can get on the market today, depending on what you want out of your game – alongside answers to the most frequently asked questions by players looking to get the most out of their purchase.

Click here to skip ahead to our round-up of the best Artificial Grass soccer cleats.

FAQs:What are artificial ground (AG) cleats?

Artificial ground or AG soccer cleats are footwear specifically designed to provide the strongest experience for players upon artificial grass surfaces, as opposed to real grass and turf. They tend to be constructed with short stud configurations, designed specifically to offer bouncy resistance against surfaces that may prove less forgiving than they look at first glance.

What surfaces can artificial ground cleats be used on?

Artificial ground cleats are specifically built for use only upon artificial surfaces, though they will likely prove functional on different terrains such as firm or soft ground. However, any player is unlikely to reap the full benefits on these surfaces given their specific construction, and it is therefore recommended that they are kept to exclusively artificial ground, if possible. If you're looking for soccer cleats suitable on other surfaces, read GOAL's comprehensive round-up of the best soccer cleats in 2023.

What is the difference between artificial ground cleats and others?

There are several differences – some large, some subtle – between artificial ground cleats and cleats designed for different surfaces. Studded soles, for example, are no good on indoor courts, while you’ll need a different type of cleat altogether to perform well on astroturf, though the latter does share some common ground.

Artificial ground cleats too must be prepared to adapt to various kinds of surfaces within that bracket too, with 3G, 4G, 5G, and 6G surfaces all in play and each requiring some small alteration in approach.

With that in mind, here are the best artificial grass (AG) soccer cleats that you can get right now:

Shop: Best artificial grass soccer cleats

The newest addition to the prestigious adidas Predator series is the Accuracy+, and it's all about making every touch on the ball count. The grippy rubber texture on the upper kicking zone is perfect for refining those dribbling and passing skills plus, it's the perfect lightweight option that offers a molded fit for comfort.

You don't have to splash the cash on a good pair of artificial grass soccer cleats, and these amazing Puma Ultra Play options prove it. The unique TPU SPEEDPLATE outsole offers amazing traction on artificial pitches, so you can play safely without slipping. Plus, it comes in a cool orange colorway with pastel yellow detailing.

A popular pick across multiple surfaces and still one of the leading cleats on artificial ground, the Phantom GX presents a fresh take on one of Nike's best. The superior NikeSkin touch zone, alongside the engineered upper mesh, gives you a better feel of the ball for a responsive touch.

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if you're a striker or creative midfielder, you're going to love the Puma Future Ultimate cleats, which offer great control of the ball. Perfect your stepovers and no-look passes like Neymar with the amazing FUZIONFIT360 dual mesh upper for unbeaten ball control. The PWRTAPE adds stability and gives a more supportive fit.

Ed Dove predicts the outcome of all eight Afcon Round of 16 bouts

BackpagePixUganda vs. Senegal

This one is tougher to predict than it may appear on paper, with one of the more disappointed big guns pitted against one of the more impressive ‘lesser lights’ of the competition.

Uganda started well against the Democratic Republic of Congo, and were unfortunate not to have taken the lead against Egypt in their final group game, and they still lack a certain cutting edge up front.

If they can refine that attacking unit, then they can cause problems, particularly for a Senegal team without injured goalkeeper Eduard Mendy and with Salif Sane doubtful.

I’m tempted to go for Uganda to progress here—the Teranga Lions have looked disjointed going forward—but the West Africans just have too much quality in the final third for me to write them off.

Prediction: Senegal

AdvertisementGettyimagesMorocco vs. Benin

Like the first match, this one might be a little tougher for the heavyweights than it appears on paper.

Morocco have found it hard to break down organised Namibia and South Africa teams, while Benin proved against Ghana and Cameroon that they’re capable of holding the continental giants to stalemates.

Michael Dussuyer has a point to prove against Herve Renard after his Ivorian side were dumped out by the Frenchman at the last Nations Cup, but I can’t see him getting revenge here.

As long as the Atlas Lions keep the tempo up, they’ll find a way through.

Prediction: Morocco

Getty ImagesNigeria vs. Cameroon

I’m thoroughly underwhelmed by Clarence Seedorf’s Cameroon so far this tournament; they lack an identity going forward and haven’t been particularly convincing at the back.

Indeed, they were fortunate not to fall behind against Ghana, and are clearly lacking a cutting edge.

Nigeria haven’t been much more impressive—infamously falling to a shock defeat by Madagascar—but I expect a response from Gernot Rohr’s side here against the champions.

Prediction: Nigeria

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Getty ImagesEgypt vs. South Africa

There are positives for South Africa to take from the group stage, even if their play hasn’t won too many admirers back home.

They were only defeated by Morocco in the 90th minute, and that rugged defensive display will give them confidence against the Pharaohs.

However, a combination of home support, a defence that’s yet to be breached, Mahmoud Trezeguet and, of course, Mohamed Salah, should prove too much for Bafana Bafana.

Prediction: Egypt

France's conveyor belt of young talent paid off in the summer as Les Bleus lifted the World Cup – but who are the stars of the future?

Getty1Timothy Weah (PSG)

It’s not easy making a breakthrough as a young player into one of the world’s biggest clubs, but Timothy Weah, son of former Ballon d’Or winner George, is threatening to do just that. He turned out three times for PSG last season, playing 122 minutes in total, and in the Trophee des Champions clash with Monaco last week he notched his first senior goal and played the full 90 minutes. The USA international, just 18, is beginning to justify the hype.

AdvertisementGetty2Martin Terrier (Lyon)

Perhaps no one has caught the eye in pre-season quite as much as Lyon attacker Martin Terrier. OL swooped to sign the 21-year-old from Strasbourg last January before loaning him immediately back to the club to finish the campaign. He impressed with Racing, scoring three times and creating four more in Ligue 1 but suffered from injuries in the second half of the season. He appears to have hit the ground running at Parc OL and should supplement the likes of Nabil Fekir, Mariano Diaz and Memphis Depay nicely.

Getty Images3Oumar Solet (Lyon)

Centre-back has been a problem position for Lyon for several seasons now and they are hopeful that 18-year-old Oumar Solet can one day grow into the player to finally act as a solution. Signed from third-tier Laval in the summer for little more than €500,000, he could prove one of the bargains of the summer. Bruno Genesio has already given him game time in pre-season, where he looked comfortable against Inter in a 1-0 friendly defeat.

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Gettyimages4Stanley N’Soki (PSG)

It’s not certain that 19-year-old Stanley N’Soki (pictured left) will still be at Paris Saint-Germain when the season begins, as the likes of Arsenal, Marseille and especially Newcastle hover. He is not yet tied down to a professional deal, but one imagines that after his impressive display against Monaco in the Trophee des Champions it has to be a top priority. He impressed down the left for the Ligue 1 champions on his full senior bow, even lending an assist, yet his more natural position is centre-back.

A magnificent attacking century from Jack Taylor and five wickets for Craig Miles wrapped up an unlikely Gloucestershire victory

ECB/PA09-Jul-2015
ScorecardJack Taylor was in punishing form with the bat for Gloucestershire at Cheltenham•PA PhotosA sparkling career-best 156 from Jack Taylor and a five-wicket haul for Craig Miles saw Gloucestershire wrap up victory inside two days against Northamptonshire at Cheltenham.Having gone in at No.8, off-spinner Taylor turned the game with the bat after his side had slipped to 108 for 6 in reply to Northamptonshire’s first innings 246.He faced only 125 balls, hitting 14 fours and 5 sixes before being last man out in a total of 372, having comfortably exceeded his previous best first class score of 120, made against Derbyshire at Derby earlier this season.Taylor received good support from Benny Howell (36) and Craig Miles (41) as Gloucestershire built a first innings lead of 126 against a Northants attack deprived of Steven Crook, who was injured in mid-over when hit on a knee by the ball and had to leave the field.Then Miles got to work with the ball, claiming 5 for 28 from 10.1 overs as the visitors were skittled for 160 in their second innings, only Richard Levi (64) offering significant resistance as James Fuller and Liam Norwell weighed in with two wickets apiece.That left the home side needing just 35 to win, a target they achieved in six overs for the loss of Chris Dent. Gloucestershire took 23 points from their third LV=County Championship win of the season, while Northants had to settle for four.The start of the day had seen the hosts resume on 82 for four in their first innings. The impressive Olly Stone (four for 91) took two wickets in a sharp opening burst from the College End to put them in deeper trouble.But Taylor and Howell then added 113 in 20.1 overs to turn the game on its head in exhilarating fashion. At lunch Gloucestershire were 225 for 7 and the match appeared in the balance.Taylor was 74 not out, having driven Graeme White’s left arm spin straight for his first of his sixes, with a second six coming when he hooked the returning Stone into one of the marquees at the College Lawn End.While Taylor’s aggression spearheaded the counter-attack and brought him an 86-ball century, Howell, who made 36, was not far behind his partner in terms of intent and it all made for excellent entertainment for a good-sized Festival crowd.Miles hit 7 fours, coming in at No.10. Then he and Norwell ran through the top order in the Northants second innings, sharing the wickets equally as the visitors plunged to 18 for four.Miles removed openers Stephen Peters, who bagged a pair, and Ben Duckett, while Fuller accounted for first innings centurion Alex Wakely and Rob Keogh.Levi counter-attacked with a 56-ball half-century, including 9 fours, but wickets continued to tumble at the other end.Adam Rossington holed out to Fuller at mid-on off Norwell, who also had Crook caught behind. In between those wickets, Howell weighed in with the scalp of Josh Cobb as Northants stuttered to 97 for 7, still 29 runs behind.Levi appeared relatively untroubled in moving to 64 before being last man out, with only Rory Kleindveldt (37) offering any support.

A round-up of the Sunfoil series matches that finished on March 13, 2016

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Mar-2016Bad light curtailed a thrilling chase at Kingsmead, where Dolphins fell 18 runs short of a mammoth target of 354. The evening’s events seemed highly unlikely when they were reduced to 2 for 1 at lunch, but out came Vaughn van Jaarsveld and took control with a measured century. He took the side to tea at 149 for 1. But Titans wouldn’t have been too worried. The required rate was still above eight an over and they had dismissed Jonathan Vandiar, who had chipped in with 69, and Khaya Zondo for a duck. Even with wickets in hand, 141 off 102 balls was a tough ask. But scoreboard pressure did not leave Dolphins all at sea.Van Jaarsveld fell for 124 off 156 balls and big-hitting allrounder Andile Phehlukwayo walked in with Dolphins 100 runs shy of their target with 12 overs left.Phehlukwayo cracked 40 off 24 balls with two fours and three sixes to push Dolphins ahead again. He was at the crease, looking at an asking rate of a mere 4.5. Titans needed four wickets in four overs. They had the express Marchant de Lange in fine form too – 4 for 90 in addition to 3 for 92 in the first innings. All was set for a photo finish, except the light gave out.Van Jaarsveld had starred in that first innings as well when Dolphins declared on 306 for 4 in the 92nd over, trailing Titans’ 451 presumably in an effort to force a victory. His 92 off 162 balls wasn’t the top score though. That belonged to opener Sarel Erwee with 108 off 232 balls.Titans’ second innings lasted most of the morning as they hoped to eat into the time left for the chase. Heino Kuhn (80) and Dean Elgar (66) provided the bulk of their total of 208 for 4 when the declaration came.Kuhn had a very productive match, he made 96 in the first innings and Titans were powered to their 400-plus total by a century from Qaasim Adams, who was batting at No. 6. A high-scoring match was primed for a high-scoring chase, but it was not to be.A seven-wicket haul from Duanne Olivier was complemented by Rudi Second’s half-century to secure Knights a 10-wicket victory over Lions in the Sunfoil Series.Lions were asked to bat in Johannesburg and they didn’t quite go about it well enough. There were four ducks, and only their opener and captain Stephen Cook (43) and Temba Bavuma (28 off 71 balls) managed to spend enough time in the middle. There were four ducks as Olivier picked up 3 for 34 and Malusi Siboto finished with 3 for 35 and Lions were bundled out for 144.Knights’ innings was fed by Second’s 70 off 157 balls with nine fours and Shadley van Schalkwyk’s half-century when he came in to bat at No. 8. Hardus Viljoen and Dwaine Pretorius picked up three wickets each, but the total had by then swollen to 248.With a lead of 104 runs, Knights’ bowlers set about dismantling the Lions line-up again. There were five single-digit scores and again Cook was the top-scorer with 42 off 90 balls. Olivier was skillful with the new ball again, with 4 for 63. Lions were rolled over for 214, leaving Knights a target of 115. Openers Reeza Hendricks and Michael Erlank hit fifties to seal a 10-wicket victory.

Yorkshire won comfortably on the final day against Hampshire, despite the resistance of Lewis McManus and Will Smith and further demands from England

Paul Edwards at Headingley13-May-2015
ScorecardAdil Rashid took his match haul to eight wickets as Yorkshire won comfortably on the final day•Getty ImagesFor most of this match the alders and sycamores in the vicinity of Eden Crescent and Kirkstall Hill have offered a glorious portent of summer. “The trees are coming into leaf/ Like something almost being said,” wrote Philip Larkin, and yes, so they are. But the chaotic threshing of the unresting castles in the brisk westerly wind over the past few days might also be seen as a metaphor for the curious events at the ECB, and this, of course, is something in which Yorkshiremen are taking a sharp interest.Rather like a couple planning their weekly visit to the supermarket – Costcutter perhaps? – ECB officials are regularly shopping at Headingley at the moment. “We have to get an opener and that coach needs replacing,” they might say as they get into their four-door Fiasco and head north with the names of Adam Lyth and Jason Gillespie topping their list.But then suddenly, out of a sky as blue and fleece-fringed as that which domed above Leeds this lovely Wednesday, counties themselves sometimes have the temerity to try and control events. Many people were suggesting that this match wouldn’t last till lunchtime when play resumed on the final morning with Hampshire on 37 for 4 and their victory target of 449 as distant a prospect as the golds of autumn.ECB still to contact Yorkshire over Gillespie

Yorkshire’s director of cricket, Martyn Moxon, has expressed irritation that Jason Gillespie was named as a candidate for the job of England coach without Yorkshire being informed first.
“It would be nice if you got to know these things first but it’s not easy for Andrew Strauss when he pushed on these matters and I don’t hold it against him,” Moxon said. “We’ve been assured that any if any approach happens, it will be done in the correct manner and we trust the ECB to do that.
“I think the ECB are aware that we want Jason to concentrate on his day job and they’ll respect that. We’ve got a week between our next two T20 matches, so if the ECB want to contact us regarding Jason, there’s potential for them to do that.”
Moxon also defended Yorkshire’s decision not to make Gillespie available for interview after the Hampshire game.
“It’s difficult for Jason to say anything. What we want to avoid is for him to be here saying, ‘No comment…no comment…no comment’. It’s better for him not to say anything until we’ve got something official. If Jason speaks to Andrew Strauss, we’ll then wait and see if it’s the right job for Jason or not.”
Moxon also expressed his views about the way in which the Kevin Pietersen affair had been dealt with. “Quite frankly, I think it’s bit messy,” he said. “I don’t know the ins and outs of Pietersen’s time with England or what’s been said to him but it just seems very messy and sad for the English game that we are now being seen as a bit of a laughing stock.”

When nightwatchman James Tomlinson played inside a ball from Adil Rashid and Sean Ervine nicked a good ball from Tim Bresnan to Jonny Bairstow behind the stumps, these predictions seemed good calls. Hampshire were then 67 for 6 within the first hour of play and it seemed that we were all just waiting for the last knockings. But amid all the understandable furore about Kevin, Jason and England, this game has also been notable for the quietly proficient first-class debut of Hampshire’s wicketkeeper Lewis McManus, who had already kept well and batted decently enough in the first innings.And now McManus made his finest contribution to the game as he resisted Yorkshire’s attack for 100 minutes either side of lunch. In company with Will Smith, McManus added 56 runs in 30 overs although by that stage nobody gave a fig about the runs. As Rashid bowled unchanged from the Football Stand End in the morning session, McManus resisted him with a quiet resolve and tight technique which bodes well for his future career in the game.The 20-year-old was eventually dismissed 20 minutes after lunch when he rather fished at a ball from Will Rhodes and nicked a catch to Bairstow. He had made 28 off 91 balls and given the final day of this game a fascination which few expected it would possess. Certainly his colleagues could not emulate him in the slightest. Gareth Berg and Andre Adams were removed by successive balls from Rashid, the latter well caught at backward square leg by Jack Brooks when sweeping. Then Fidel Edwards swished at Steve Patterson, edged a catch to Alex Lees at first slip and the game was done.Yorkshire move to third place in a Division One table which is assuming an interesting shape and Hampshire return south counting the cost of their avoidable bowling lapses and gifted wickets.Before long the outfield was filled with camera crews wanting to find out about national issues and great controversies. It was, perhaps, always thus. But for a few players, this match has taken on a greater significance. Rashid’s 4 for 48 in the second innings gave him match figures of 8 for 118 and suggested that his omission for the Barbados Test was, indeed, an error. Adam Lyth made 76 runs in two innings and looked in decent nick, albeit that he was roughed up by Fidel Edwards before being dismissed by the same bowler before lunch on Tuesday.Lyth will probably make his Test debut against New Zealand next week and, if he does well, his colleagues may see little more of him this summer. Perhaps, therefore, in addition to the usual songs of triumph, he might have regaled his team mates this afternoon with a chorus or two of that grand old Gracie Fields standard: “Wish Me Luck As You Wave Me Goodbye”. This is, after all, been a week of grace and Gracie in this pleasant corner of Yorkshire and if Lyth is to face Mitchell Johnson and his chums, he may need all the good fortune available to him.

Warwickshire and Hampshire settled for a draw at Edgbaston after a final day which had promised much but delivered only stalemate

Press Association22-Apr-2015
ScorecardVarun Chopra marshalled Warwickshire through the final day•PA PhotosWarwickshire and Hampshire settled for a draw at Edgbaston after a final day which had promised much but delivered only stalemate.At start of play both sides had a sniff of victory as Warwickshire resumed on 47 without loss, needing another 332 to reel in their target of 379, while Hampshire had to find 10 wickets. A Hampshire win was unlikely, their bowlers’ task made difficult by a slow and flattening pitch which offered little turn throughout.It was Warwickshire, their innings given a brisk start by Ian Westwood the previous evening, who appeared to be in a position from which to push for victory but they never sought to accelerate, finishing on 244 for 5.Captain Varun Chopra, on 10 when the last day began, batted through the day to record his 17th first-class century, a rock-solid if colourless composition which brought him an unbeaten 119 from 309 balls with 14 fours.After three days of interesting, fluctuating cricket, the fourth amounted to disappointment for the spectators as the match petered out into a draw from which Warwickshire took 10 points and Hampshire 11.The visitors struck an early blow when Andre Adams trapped Westwood lbw but Chopra and William Porterfield ensured there was no early clatter of wickets, adding an unbroken 60 in 30 overs, hitting just one boundary apiece up to lunch.The second-wicket pair showed no more adventure after the interval and had ground out 68 from 34 overs before Porterfield edged a fine delivery from James Tomlinson to the wicketkeeper.The impressive Tomlinson collected a deserved second wicket when Laurie Evans lifted the ball to mid-on and when Liam Dawson had Sam Hain caught at short leg, it was 145 for 4 and Warwickshire were wobbling.But Chopra remained and went into tea on 70 from 216 balls, just four of which he had hit for four, resuming afterwards with concentration undiminished. He found an equally obdurate partner in Tim Ambrose who was batting with a runner after suffering a gluteal strain.The wicketkeeper, a century-maker in the first innings, dug in again for 29 to snuff out any lingering Hampshire hopes of inducing a late collapse.Hampshire captain Jimmy Adams was pleased with his side’s performance, and said: “At the start of the last day I thought a draw was probably the least likely result.”But Varun played very well and it was a pretty good wicket which offered only a little bit of turn and didn’t go up and down like both teams thought it might. I don’t think we could have asked an awful lot more from our bowlers. They kept it tight and didn’t give anything away.”The previous evening at the start of their innings Warwickshire had got away from us a little bit and if they had started the same way today then things could have been a lot different. But the guys bowled well and I am really happy with the way we played over the four days.”

Former England fast bowler Paul Franks has been appointed as UAE’s assistant coach on loan from Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club, ahead of the World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jan-2015Former England fast bowler Paul Franks has been named UAE’s assistant coach on loan from Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club, ahead of the World Cup. Franks, who played one ODI for England against West Indies in 2000, will support the head coach Aaqib Javed, and mainly take responsibility for the team’s fielding preparations.”It took me a while to get my head around being approached by the Emirates Cricket Board, that was flattering enough in itself, and this is a huge opportunity for me at a very early stage in my coaching development,” Franks, who is part of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s Level 4 – Elite Coach Development Programme, said.”I’ve still got a lot to learn and World Cups don’t come around very often, it was a decision that didn’t take long. I’m grateful to Mick Newell and the staff at Nottinghamshire for giving me the chance to go away, learn, apply myself, and I’m hoping to bring that, and more, back to Trent Bridge this summer.”Franks, 35, played 215 first-class matches in a career spanning 17 years, scoring 7185 runs and taking 524 wickets. In his first full season with Nottinghamshire, in 1997, Franks took the county’s first hat-trick for a decade, and the following February he helped England clinch the Under-19 World Cup in Johannesburg. Overall, in 89 matches for Nottinghamshire, Franks hit 3269 runs and collected 168 wickets.”Paul was a natural, easy choice,” Javed said. “He made a strong, positive impact during the team’s three-week training camp, the players know him, and he knows their strengths as well as the areas they need to work on. We’re looking forward to having Paul on board.”UAE will leave for the World Cup next week and play warm-up matches against Australia and Afghanistan in Melbourne. They will contest their first game of the tournament on February 19, against Zimbabwe in Nelson.

Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Irfan has been ruled out of the World Cup with a stress fracture of the pelvis

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Mar-2015Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Irfan has been ruled out of the World Cup with a stress fracture of the pelvis. Pakistan’s team management will call for a replacement only if the team wins Friday’s quarter-final, against Australia in Adelaide, according to a PCB release.The release said Irfan had undergone an MRI scan on Monday afternoon, which showed a stress injury of the pelvis but did not reveal the specifics. Pakistan’s physiotherapist, Brad Robinson, then ordered a more detailed scan, which was done on Tuesday and confirmed a stress fracture.”This injury rules Irfan out of the World Cup”, Robinson said in the release.The 7ft 1in Irfan has had trouble with his hip previously, suffering two fractures in the ischium bone of his hip in November 2013 that sidelined him till August 2014. In that period he had undergone extensive rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.He is the third player out of Pakistan’s originally selected 15 to fall prey to injury, after Mohammad Hafeez and Junaid Khan. He had missed Pakistan’s last group match, against Ireland on Sunday, due to the injury. Pakistan have preferred to play four specialist fast bowlers in this World Cup, meaning Ehsan Adil replaced Irfan for the Ireland game.

Nathan Lyon said Shane Watson’s efforts in keeping up the pressure on the Indian batsmen at the Gabba could not be overlooked

Brydon Coverdale in Melbourne22-Dec-20144:08

MacGill: We’ve missed the best of Watson

Nathan Lyon picked up five wickets during Australia’s win at the Gabba. Josh Hazlewood starred on debut with seven, Mitchell Johnson rattled India with four in the second innings, Mitchell Starc came back after a shaky start and collected two. But in among the bigger wicket tallies from the frontline bowlers, Lyon said Shane Watson’s efforts in keeping up the pressure could not be overlooked.The hamstring injury sustained by Mitchell Marsh on the first day meant Watson had to play the all-round role through nearly the whole Test and sent down 27.4 overs – the most he has delivered in a Test for two years. On that occasion, the 47.4 overs he bowled against Sri Lanka in Hobart, where Ben Hilfenhaus was injured mid-match, led to his breaking down in the next Test at the MCG.Watson’s workload in Brisbane was not such that the Australians will be worried about his body, but again plenty of bowling will be required of him in Melbourne with Marsh replaced by the specialist batsman Joe Burns. Watson collected just one wicket in the Brisbane victory, but went at just 2.38 runs per over and his nagging accuracy and swing helped his colleagues pick up wickets at the other end.”I think Shane bowled fantastic,” Lyon said after the squad arrived in Melbourne on Monday. “He really held one end down, and we talk about bowling in partnerships. I think a lot of credit has to go to Watto. I know a lot of people don’t see it that way – he got one wicket and none in the second.”But the way he held together one end and created pressure from one end was allowing us to take wickets at the other end. A lot of credit goes to Shane. I’m pretty sure he can bowl a lot worse than that and come out and take five-for. He can be damaging on any pitch. I’m looking forward to hopefully bowling in tandem with him out there on Boxing Day.”Lyon himself delivered 35.4 overs at the Gabba, barely half of the 70.1 he sent down at Adelaide Oval in the first Test, as the fast men found pace and bounce from the Brisbane pitch. However, the corollary of that was that captain Steven Smith was fined 60% of his match fee for a slow over rate and faces suspension if he as captain is again responsible for another over-rate offence in the next 12 months.”I think that just means I get to bowl more overs,” Lyon joked. “That’s up to Steve. It was pretty hot conditions up at the Gabba, so I can see how it was slowed down. I didn’t realise it was that slow, and we won in four days so I’m not really sure how that works. But it’s not up to me to worry about, it’s up to the captain and the coach. But I think I’ll just get to bowl more overs. Steve [jokingly] mentioned I was going to open the bowling I think.”Lyon will likely be part of an altered bowling attack at the MCG on Boxing Day, with Ryan Harris expected to come back in for Starc after missing the Brisbane Test due to a quadriceps injury. Peter Siddle has also remained in the squad after being left out and made 12th man at the Gabba.”I spoke to both those guys yesterday and they bowled well at the Gabba,” Lyon said. “It’s a great position to have those guys putting their hands up for selection. We’ve got a good stock of bowlers at the moment.”