When Nathan Lyon began the 2010-11 season bowling off-spin for Prospect Cricket Club in South Australian Grade Cricket, representing his country was nothing but a distant dream.
He was also representing the ACT in the Futures League, while combining his playing with work on the ground staff with South Australian Cricket Association (SACA).
But fast-forward less than 12 months and Lyon is being touted as one of the best spinners in Australia. He was recently awarded the 'man of the series' gong for picking up 11 wickets in Australia A's Zimbabwe Tri-Series victory in a series that also involved South Africa A.
His meteoric rise through the cricket world came thanks to the vision of coach Darren Berry, who selected him as part of the Redbacks squad for last season's Twenty20 Big Bash, with Berry's side the eventual winners of the competition.
"It (the Big Bash) was probably the best time of my life on the cricket field. I loved every moment," Lyon told Sportal.
The spinner claimed 11 wickets during the Twenty20 Big Bash, only equalled by New South Wales speedster Patrick Cummins, as he spearheaded the Redbacks to the title.
Many of Lyon's wickets came from his courage to give the ball flight, which is possibly his best trait as a bowler.
He puts his willingness to toss the ball up simply down to his 'enjoyment of cricket'.
"If you get hit for a big six, you get the crowd involved, but if you take the wicket, you also get the crowd involved. You have just got to enjoy it," he said.
"The spinners play a major role in the Twenty20 because you are always in the game with batsmen coming at you. That is a big part of being a spin bowler."
Following the Twenty20 Big Bash, Lyon played four Sheffield Shield matches - making his debut in Perth which he describes as a career highlight - while he also played two Ryobi One-Day Cup fixtures, leading to his Australia A selection.
The 24-year-old snared 3-55 in the final as the Aussies defeated South Africa A by just two runs, while he also chipped in with the bat, winning an earlier match between the two sides when he clubbed a six from the second-last ball of a thrilling run-chase.
"It was a pretty exciting couple of weeks. To travel over there and come out on top with the trophy was pretty special."
While his performances in Zimbabwe have led to suggestions that Lyon is in the frame for Australian selection in any form of the game, the well-grounded bowler is not getting carried away and feels he has lots to work on.
"I personally believe I'm well away from that. I'm just looking forward to playing here with the Redbacks in the domestic season. As a kid you always want to grow up playing for your country, it would mean everything."
"But I'm not really expecting to go on any further at this stage yet. I think the spinners they are using at the moment with (Jason) Krejza, (Xavier) Doherty, (Michael) Beer and (Nathan) Hauritz... they are all class spinners and I've still got a lot of work to do."
For now, Lyon is just keen to do his best for the Redbacks.
He signed a professional contract with the SACA at the start of July, a well-deserved reward for a man who simply