Did a photo of Australian cricketer Nathan Lyon 'destroy his decade-long relationship'?

Just two days ago, Melissa Waring shared a picture of her partner, Australian cricketer Nathan “Garry” Lyon, and their two daughters Harper and Milla cuddling and smiling on Instagram.

“Can’t believe it’s this time of year again! #christmas #family #cricket,” she wrote.

Today was different. Uncomfortably so.

Today, Melissa spoke to media for the first time about her ‘partner of 10 years’ kissing real estate agent Emma McCarthy, after the pair was photographed by paparazzi on Sunday. A ‘source’ claimed the pair was not a new item – actually, the source says they have been in a ‘loving and committed relationship for over a year’ that had been ‘kept secret’ for the sake of Lyon’s young family, according to the Daily Mail.

While that timeline is – of course – merely conjecture and gossip at this point, there’s no denying that the image would be horrific for any woman to see. Then you consider how that woman would feel when that image is made public for all of Australia to gawk at.

Ms Waring told media waiting outside her south Sydney home that Cricket Australia had informed her about the paparazzi shot.

“I think seeing his car sitting in the drive way and his washing sitting here, that probably gives you enough of an idea [as to whether we were still together when the photos were taken],” she told the Daily Mail.

“We have two small children who I have to put first and unfortunately at the end of the day I’m the one who’s being f**ked around here.”

She said she didn’t want to say any more “because it could affect me at a later date if I need to go to court. I can’t jeopardise anything happening to my kids, this is hard enough.”

What makes this story even more complicated is that another source close to the cricketer claims “[Lyon] split from [Waring] more than one year ago.”

“Nathan and Mel aren’t together, and have been separated for some time,” the source told Daily Mail.

“It is 100% not an affair, it’s an open and committed relationship and everyone is aware of it, but it is being kept private for the sake of Nathan’s kids.

“Nathan travels a lot but he is trying his best to be a good father and he doesn’t want his kids to be exposed to all of the media coverage of his new relationship.”

On her Instagram account, Waring regularly shares pictures of her travels to watch Lyon play cricket along with the other cricketing families. She most recently travelled to Brisbane with their daughters to watch him play England in the Ashes.

Lyon, who was pictured in the car and at the home of his rumoured new girlfriend in Perth, was there for the third Ashes test against England which is now in its second day. Waring stayed in Sydney with their two children.

Waring and Lyon reportedly met at a nightclub in Canberra 10 years ago, before going on to have daughters Harper and Milla.

Lyon and McCarthy are yet to comment on the situation.