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- PERTH: Nathan Lyon became the 59th player in cricket history to take 500 wickets on Sunday. He took 2-18 on a seam-friendly track at Perth Stadium, which helped Australia bowl out Pakistan for 89 runs and win the first test by 360 runs.
- Australia had set a 450-run victory goal, and their much-touted seam attack destroyed Pakistan’s top order in the afternoon. Lyon caught Faheem Ashraf at the tail end and celebrated his milestone before the tourists gave up in 31 overs.
- Australia had declared after lunch on 233-5 in 63.2 overs, having scored 487 earlier and bowling Pakistan out for 271 in the first innings.
- Pakistan’s fourth innings run-chase started in shambolic fashion as they were reduced to 48-4 inside 15 overs before tea.
- Josh Hazlewood (3-13) and Mitchell Starc (3-31) inflicted the most damage, but all eyes were on Lyon as he tried to join Shane Warne (708) and Glenn McGrath (563) among Australians with 500 wickets, and become the eighth player overall.
- In the 26th over, the 36-year-old lost a caught-behind review, but in the 28th, he got his man by going high again and hitting Ashraf for five, with Hawk-Eye clear of the stumps.
- The spinner held the ball aloft and took the embrace of his team mates, and then clean-bowled Aamer Jamal (4) later in the over for good measure.
- Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s debutant seamers Khurram Shahzad (3-45) and Jamal (1-28), outshining the more experienced Shaheen Afridi and Ashraf, accounting for the three Australian wickets to fall on the penultimate day.
- Usman Khawaja (90) and Mitchell Marsh (63 not out) accumulated throughout the morning session and accelerated after lunch in search of a declaration. Marsh, more comfortable as the aggressor, finished with seven fours and two sixes.
- A mistimed cut by Khawaja to third-man led skipper Pat Cummins to call the innings to an end.
