Nathan Lyon’s Test tour of the Caribbean began badly but the resilient Australian offspinner will return home with an enhanced reputation as a quick learner.

The South Australian was criticised harshly after finishing with match figures of 1-113 in the first Test in Barbados.

Another wicketless innings loomed in the second Test in Trinidad before Lyon burst into life with a five-wicket spell in nine overs that rocked the West Indies.

And on Monday in Dominica, Lyon showed how quickly he’d adapted to Caribbean pitches as he took 3-49 on day two of the Third Test to leave the Windies struggling in their reply to Australia’s 328.

Lyon’s mental strength and ability to adapt have been hallmarks of his 13-Test career, which has yielded 38 wickets at an average just under 28.

“He’s got better and better,” wicketkeeper Matthew Wade said.

“His line has been outstanding. In the last two games, he bowled really well.

“He was disappointed up until he got those five wickets in a spell. He’d had a pretty lean run of it for a while.

“I thought he’d bowled pretty well but he hadn’t got many wickets.

“Cricket’s a funny game. You get a spell where you get five wickets and everything turns around.”

The Windies too are impressed, with assistant coach Toby Radford praising how well Lyon had bowled so far in the series.

“He’s got the pace right and he’s bowled the right line,” Radford said.

“We’ve had a lot of left-handers and he’s angling the ball in and turning it sharply. It has been hard work and, even for the right-handers, he’s turning it and getting bat-pads.”