Australia on top after Nathan Lyon’s 5-fer

Nathan Lyon and Usman Khawaja put Australia in a commanding position against Sri Lanka.

In the first test, Australia ended day 1 with the score of 98/3, trailing by 114 runs. Earlier today, the Aussie bowlers ripped through the SL batting line-up.

Nathan Lyon was the pick of the bowlers, picking up 5 wickets for 90 in his 25 overs.

He was ably supported by Mitchell Swepson, who picked up 3/55 in 13 overs. Pacers Starc and Cummins ended up picking a wicket each.

Plenty of turn on day 1 is not an unusual site in the sub-continent. Today, the spinners were able to spin a web around the batsmen. Off the 13 wickets that fell today, the spinners picked up 10 off them!

First Innings

After winning the toss and electing to bat first, SL Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne strode out to the middle alongside Pathum Nissanka.

The duo put on 38 runs before Australian skipper Pat Cummins got rid of the former.

Kusal Mendis’s stay at the crease was short-lived. He was out caught behind off the bowling of Mitchell Starc.

Next up, it was the duo of Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Swepson, who dismissed Sri Lanka for 212 runs.

The duo picked up 8 wickets for 145 runs in the 38 overs that they bowled in tandem.

Nathan Lyon picked up 5 off those. He got rid of the well set skipper – Dimuth Karunaratne, Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella, Ramesh Mendis and Lasith Embuldeniya.

A brilliant spell by the Australian offie.

Niroshan Dickwella was the top scorer of the innings, scoring 58 before being out caught behind off the bowing of Nathan Lyon.

Dickwella and Mendis stitched up a 54 run partnership, before the latter was removed by Nathan Lyon.

Second Innings

In reply to Sri Lanka’s 212, the Australian openers got off to a quick start. Runs flowed off the bat of Khawaja and David Warner.

But soon, the latter fell to Ramesh Mendis. Warner was out for 25 runs. Marnus Labuschagne and Khawaja put on 28 runs before Ramesh Mendis got rid of the former for 13.

Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja had a moment to forget. There was confusion between the 2 in the middle and this led to the wicket of Steve Smith.

A cheap wicket handed to the Sri Lankans, who gleefully accepted it.

Smith was out, run-out by Niroshan Dickwella for just 8 runs.

Khawaja ended the day not-out on 47 runs off 86 balls. He will stride out to bat tomorrow in the company of Travis Head.

At the end of days play, Australia were 98/3 after 25 overs, trailing by 114 runs.

Tomorrow’s day will be crucial for the visitors. If they can establish a good lead by the end of play tomorrow, they will be firmly on top of the home side.