Nathan Lyon has become the first non-Asian bowler and only the second on the list to achieve the remarkable milestone of 150 Test wickets in Asia. This veteran off-spinner achieved the landmark on the first day of the second Test against Sri Lanka at Galle International Cricket Stadium, claiming three wickets, ensuring this feat in history.
The late Shane Warne is second in the list with 127 while behind them are Daniel Vettori and James Anderson, with 98 and 92 wickets, respectively. Lyon achieved a milestone on just his 30th match on the continent and interestingly averages a wicket every 30 balls on pitches in Asia.
In the first Test, Australia, winning the toss, used the advantage of the wicket to post a huge score. Traditionally, the surface in Galle heavily assists spinners, helping the batting team on Day 1. The visitors capitalized brilliantly on this in the first Test, but Sri Lanka couldn’t do the same in the second, ending up 229/9 at close of play.
Opener Pathum Nissanka was a flop, scoring just 11 runs. It was, however, a small effort by Karunaratne and Chandimal and their partnership of 70 runs. Chandimal scored 74 runs, but the middle order crumbled like dry land with the hosts reaching 150/6. Kusal and Ramesh Mendis tried to set up a rescue act; while showing the requisite talent, Mendis departed finally after scoring 28 runs off 94 deliveries.
Mendis played unbeaten on 59 and hopes to keep extending the mega run into Day 2. Starc again shone for Australia as the left-arm seamer claimed three wickets while Kuhnemann took two and Head accounted for Kamindu Mendis.
