Australia beat Sri Lanka in first Test: Key stats
Australia thrashed Sri Lanka by 10 wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. The visitors made short work of the hosts in the second innings, folding them on 113. The spin trio of Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Swepson, and Travis Head outclassed SL batters. Chasing a paltry target of 10, David Warner (10*) hit a six and four to claim a win.
SL were off to a decent start but lost their way. From 38/0, they were reduced to 97/5. However, Niroshan Dickwella (58) and Angelo Mathews (39) showed some character to help SL manage 212. For Australia, spinners Lyon and Mitchell Swepson claimed eight scalps among themselves. Fifties from Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green propelled them to 321. Aussie spinners bossed the show thereafter.
Nathan Lyon was all over the Lankans as he managed figures of 5/90 and 4/31 in Galle. The veteran off-spinner trounced the entire top and middle-order for the hosts, paving way for an Aussie triumph. He cracked his 20th five-wicket haul in this format. He has raced to 436 Test scalps at 31.77. Against SL, Lyon has now pocketed 44 scalps at 32.04.
Dickwella punched 58(59) in the first innings. He slammed six fours during his quick-fire exhibition. He smashed his 21st Test fifty and second against the Aussies. Dickwella couldn't emulate the same later on as he fell prey to a paltry score (3). Versus Australia, he now has 201 runs at 33.50. He has raced to 2,663 Test runs at 32.47.
Usman Khawaja laid the foundation for the Aussies' 300-plus total. Resuming Day 2 from 47*, Khawaja went on to compile a superb 71 off 130 deliveries. The southpaw clocked his 17th fifty in whites and first against SL. He hit seven fours. The veteran batter has steered past the 3,700-run mark (3,709) at 37.55. Against Lankans, Khawaja has belted 298 runs at 33.11.
Cameron Green extended his red-hot form into the SL series. He clocked his fifth fifty of his Test career and first against SL. The all-rounder showed a hostile-approach on a wicket that was turning square. He bashed 109-ball 77 with the help of six fours, emerging as the top scorer for the visitors. He now has 696 Test runs at 38.66.
Ramesh Mendis was the pick of the Lankan bowlers. The off-spinner pocketed figures worth 4/112 in the first innings, including the wickets of dangerous-looking Green (77) and Alex Carey (45). He now has 31 Test scalps at 28.19. Leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson claimed 3/55 and 2/34 Travis Head shone later on as he grabbed 4/10 to wind up the Lankan tail.
Lyon's nine-wicket haul has helped him surpass the likes of Sir Richard Hadlee (431), Rangana Herath (433), and Kapil Dev (434) in terms of Test wicket counts. Notably, Lyon is now the 10th highest wicket-taker in this format and the third-highest for Australia after Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath. He is also inching close to Dale Steyn's Test tally (439).
