Lyon, Head spin a web as Australia thrash SL
Agencies
GALLE: Australia skipper Pat Cummins said Nathan Lyon’s nine wickets “showed his class” in the team’s thrashing of Sri Lanka in the first Test on Friday.
Lyon bamboozled the opposition batters with his off-spin in a match that ended before lunch on Day Three in Galle, with the hosts bowled out for 212 and 113.
The champion off-spinner pushed past former India fast bowler Kapil Dev’s tally of 434 wickets in the morning to break into the top-10 ranking of alltime Test bowlers.
“Nathan Lyon showed his class, he looked unplayable out there and built off the back of a really good batting day,” Cummins told reporters after play wrapped up.
Lyon led the charge with his five-wicket haul in the first innings and then took four on the third morning to flatten the Sri Lankan batting in their own den. He was ably supported by part-time spinner Travis Head who got his maiden Test wicket and then took three more.
Sri Lanka made 212 in their first innings. Australia were still batting in their first innings when play resumed on the third day on 313 for eight before their innings ended at 321, conceding a 109-run first-innings lead.
Lyon and Head ensured Sri Lanka made 113 runs in their second innings leaving Australia five runs to win. David Warner finished the match in four balls.
Brief scores: Sri Lanka 212 & 113 all out in 22.5 overs (T Head 4/10, N Lyon 4/31) lost to Australia 321 & 10/0 by 10 wickets
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None of the players who are involved in the ongoing Test will feature in the T20 series. However Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root and Test captain Ben Stokes will link up with the ODI squad.
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The left-arm spinner and lefthanded batter has played in 19 T20IS and five ODIS.