In the opening Test in Perth, Australia defeated Pakistan by 360 runs thanks to strikes from Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon, who claimed his 500th Test wicket.
Soon after lunch on Sunday, Usman Khawaja was caught at deep third man for ninety, and Australia declared at 233-5.
Mitch Marsh made a brilliant ninety-nine in the opening innings before finishing unbeaten on 63 off 68 balls.
On the fourth day, there were a lot of demons in the wicket; Marsh took two hits to the helmet, and Khawaja was struck painfully in the right arm.
Pakistan, needing to score 450 runs to win, was bowled out for 89 in 30.2 overs by Starc (3-31), Josh Hazlewood (3-13), and Lyon (2-14).
The most memorable moment was when Lyon finally got the wicket he needed to reach 500 Test scalps, but only in his seventh over of the day.
After ball-tracking technology revealed the ball would have struck leg-stump, Australia’s review of Lyon’s LBW shout against Faheem Ashraf was successful.
When the DRS decision was announced, the crowd went wild and every player for Lyon gave him a hug.
Having broken through the enchanted 500 barrier, Lyon now joins the ranks of Australian greats Shane Warne (708 wickets) and Glenn McGrath (563).
After Australia secured their victory, Lyon told Fox Cricket, “I’m pretty proud about (the milestone).”
For a young child growing up in rural New South Wales, 500 wickets seems a very distant goal.
“A lot of work, but I’m happy with the outcome.”
Four balls later, the 36-year-old off-spinner took his second wicket of the innings when he hit a low ball that struck the stumps, dismissing Aamir Jamal.
Pakistan’s chances of executing the greatest successful run chase in Test history in the fourth innings vanished.
Just before lunch, Sarfaraz Ahmed defeated Starc to put Pakistan in a dire situation at 56-5 after Babar Azam was dismissed for 14 by Pat Cummins.
After a catastrophic blunder that saw Salman Agha run out, Australia took a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series. From then on, it was all Lyon and Hazlewood.
Khawaja needed medical attention earlier in the day after being struck by an Aamir Jamal delivery traveling at 136 km/h just below his right elbow.
Khawaja soon developed a noticeable bump on his arm, but he courageously continued to lead Australia to lunch without incident.
Steve Smith (45) was left cursing his luck on a hectic morning for DRS when ball-tracking revealed Khurram Shahzad’s delivery was going
[…] In the opening Test in Perth, Australia defeated Pakistan by 360 runs thanks to strikes from Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon, who claimed his 500th Test wicket. […]