Steve Smith during the first test between Australia and Pakistan© X (formerly Twitter)
It was a remarkable outing for Australia in the first Test match against Pakistan in Perth on Sunday as the Pat Cummins-led side cruised to a comprehensive 360-run victory. Nathan Lyon took his 500th wicket in the Test as the Australian bowlers made light work of the Pakistani batsmen and the visitors were bundled out for just 89. It was a clinical display from the Australian cricketers but there was a light moment that left them all in splits. A piece of rubbish entered the field and the Australian handlers found it very difficult to catch it due to the wind. Steve Smith finally ended up getting arrested and his celebration went viral on social media.
Nathan Lyon took his 500th wicket on Sunday as Australia bowled out a shaken Pakistan for just 89 to record a crushing 360-run win in the opening Test in Perth.
Pakistan’s unlikely bid to win its first Test in Australia since 1995 was left in tatters by the king of spin and the home team’s formidable attack, who finished the match inside four days.
In their quest for victory by 450 points, the visitors meekly surrendered with Lyon winning 2-18. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood took three wickets each.
After being stranded on 499 after Pakistan’s first innings, Lyon finally reached the milestone when he trapped Faheem Ashraf’s wicket but there was an agonizing wait as he went for review.
He then bowled Aamir Jamal at the same time, joining an elite club of just seven other players, including fellow spinners Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka and Australian Shane Warne.
Australia declared on day four with the score at 233-5 after dismissing Pakistan for 271 in the first innings, in reply to the hosts’ 487.
Skipper Pat Cummins made the call after Usman Khawaja was bowled out for a bold 90 on a sloppy pitch after a 126-run partnership with Mitchell Marsh.
Marsh remained unbeaten on 63 after Pakistan removed Steve Smith and Travis Head early in the day to give themselves hope that quickly evaporated.
Facing an uphill chase, they got off to a horror start with Abdullah Shafiq out for two in the first over, hitting an unplayable Starc ball to Alex Carey behind the stumps.
Captain Shan Masood, in his first Test, didn’t last much longer, outscoring Hazlewood’s Carey to leave his side in tatters at 17-2.
Starc also took possession of Imam-ul-Haq, trapping him at 10lbs, before Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel offered some resistance.
But that collapsed when Azam gained an advantage ahead of Cummins in the 14th over, with Carey collecting again.
When they returned from tea, Sarfaraz Ahmed only lasted six balls before Marsh caught him in Starc’s gully, Agha Salman needlessly run out.
Lyon then worked his magic before Hazlewood cleaned up the tail.
(With AFP inputs)
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