Nathan Lyon becomes first spinner to complete 200 WTC wickets
What's the story
Australian cricket star Nathan Lyon has written his name in the history of cricket. He became the first-ever spinner and second bowler overall, to take 200 wickets in the World Test Championship (WTC). He achieved the milestone during Australia's ongoing Test match against Sri Lanka at Galle International Stadium. The historic dismissal came when he took out former Sri Lankan skipper Dinesh Chandimal, just before lunch on day four.
Historic dismissal
Lyon's milestone wicket and Cummins's record
Lyon's 200th WTC wicket was that of Dinesh Chandimal, who was caught by Travis Head after scoring 31 runs off 49 balls. This was Lyon's first wicket in the second innings of the ongoing Test match. The only other bowler to have achieved the feat is Australia's Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins, who did it during an India-Australia Test at Sydney Cricket Ground earlier this year on January 5.
Impressive record
Most wickets in WTC history
As per ESPNcricinfo, Lyon is playing his 49th WTC match for Australia. He owns 10 fifers and three ten-wicket match-hauls in the championship. With his second wicket in Sri Lanka's second innings, he broke Cummins's record and became the most successful bowler in WTC history. In the first innings of the ongoing Test, Lyon picked three Sri Lankan batters, helping Australia bowl out the hosts for a mere 165 runs and enforce a follow-on.
Stats
Here are his Test numbers
Lyon's brilliance in the Galle Test saw him go past 540 scalps from 135 Test matches at 30-plus. He has 24 fifers in the format (10WM: 5). Meanwhile, the ongoing game also saw Lyon complete 50 Test wickets against Sri Lanka. Over 40 of his scalps have come in SL soil, where he averages around 30. Notably, Lyon is Australia's third-highest wicket-taker in Tests.
Summary
How has the match proceeded?
Usman Khawaja, who slammed a career-best 232, was the star of Australia's massive first-innings total of 654/6d. Stand-in skipper Steve Smith also made his bat talk and played a 141-run knock. Josh Inglis (102) recorded the second-fastest ton on Test debut, off 90 balls, further adding misery to SL's woes. SL could only manage 165/10 in response as Matthew Kuhnemann claimed a fifer. Lyon dismissed three batters as SL were asked to follow-on.