Nathan Lyon grabs the headlines with his 500th and Australia grab the first Test. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports editor)
Australia’s bowlers were clinical in their demolition job, ripping apart any hope of a Pakistan revival as they thumped the visitors by 361 runs on a treacherous Perth wicket.
But the day’s play belonged to Nathan Lyon Australia’s off spinning GOAT who went on to claim his 500th Test wicket and writing his name in the record books as the third Australian to achieve this remarkable feat.
The stadium erupted as he claimed the scalp of Faheem Ashraff and all of Australia would undoubtedly have acknowledged the tireless spinner’s fantastic milestone. He joins Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath in the elite company.
The comprehensive thrashing was fashioned on the lead of 450 runs as Australia’s batters accelerated to 233 for 5 on a wicket that was deteriorating rapidly and making batting uncomfortable.
Usman Khawaja copped a blow to his forearm and Mitchell Marsh a bouncer to the helmet exposing the danger the wicket presented.
Khawaja battled with extraordinary caution and fell short of a well deserved century when he was out for a disciplined 90.
While Australia’s batters handled the conditions better, Pakistan were back to their defensive mindset which was not ideal against an accurate and menacing pace quartet which had the diminutive Pakistan batters hopping and ducking like the were walking barefoot on red hot coals.
Perth has historically proved to be a nightmare to visiting teams, mainly the Asian sides, who are at a disadvantage due to their smaller stature. It has been a fortress that Australia is difficult to unsettle.
Mitchell Stark found his direction and Josh Hazelwood was in great form as they combined with Nathan Lyon and skipper Pat Cummins to bamboozle the Pakistanis before completing the rout by bowling them out for 89.
Stark and Hazelwood grabbed three wickets each and Lyon two to spearhead the Pakistani collapse. Australia needed just 30.2 overs to take a 1-0 lead with over a day to spare.
Australia take a psychological advantage to the two remaining Tests, but on slower tracks in Melbourne and Sydney the visitors are well capable of offering better showing. The interest on the remaining games wii centre on Pakistan’s performance at the Boxing day Test.
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