Lyon fifer helps Australia sweep series
ADELAIDE: Nathan Lyon had never taken a five-wicket haul against Pakistan. The veteran off-spinner hadn’t taken a wicket in the day-night Test until the fourth day. Then they tumbled. He took two wickets in the first session on Monday and three in the second before Australia finished off a victory by an innings and 48 runs under lights to complete a twotest series sweep with more than a day to spare.
The 32-year-old Lyon (5-69) now has 50 Test wickets at the Adelaide Oval, where he’d worked as a curator before making the national team, his 16th five-wicket haul in Tests and his first against Pakistan.
The pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood did most of the damage in the first Test, which Australia won by an innings and five runs, and in Pakistan’s first innings here before the follow-on was enforced. Pakistan resumed at 39-3 on day four and took the total to 123 before Lyon came into his own on familiar turf with five consecutive wickets. Hazlewood picked up the penultimate wicket soon after dinner and Cummins finished off the match when he threw down the stumps at the non-striker’s end to run out
Mohammad Abbas.
Opener David Warner’s triple century set Australia on course for another big win, following his 154 in the first Test. Marnus Labuschagne also produced back-to-back centuries as the Australian batsmen dominated an inexperienced Pakistan attack.
“To win by an innings, two games in a row, is an exceptional effort,” Warner said during a presentation for the player of the series award.
Australia captain Tim Paine said his team played “fantastic cricket” and praised Warner’s contribution as one of the best innings ever by an Australian batsman, particularly given the unpredictable nature of the pink ball under lights.
“It’s right up there,” Paine said. “I think we all witnessed something really special.” Warner’s 335 not out was the second-highest Test score by an Australian — behind Matthew Hayden’s 380 against Zimbabwe in 2003 — and in the top 10 of all time.
Warner had a torrid series in the Ashes, when he averaged just 9.5 in five Tests and his position at the top of the Australian order came into scrutiny.
Lyon’s returns had been down, despite him creating opportunities, until his burst of wickets late against Pakistan.
Lyon dismissed Shaheen Afridi to complete a five-wicket haul with the last delivery before the main interval on Monday as Pakistan slumped to 229-8. The visitors added only 10 further runs after the break.
Brief scores: Australia 589/3 d; Pakistan: 302 and 239 all out (Lyon 5/69). Aus won by innings and 48 runs.