Mackay [Australia], August 23 (ANI): Spinner Nathan Lyon became the fifth Australian bowler and only second Australian spinner after Shane Warne to reach 600 international wickets.
Lyon achieved the 600-wicket milestone against Bangladesh at Mackay on Sunday. In the second innings on Day 2, Lyon returned with figures of 3/25 in 11.3 overs, after not being utilised in the first innings.
In 174 international matches, Lyon has taken 601 wickets at an average of 31.00, with 24 five-wicket hauls and five ten-wicket hauls to his name, with best figures of 8/50. The bowlers above him in international cricket wicket tally for Australia are: Shane Warne (999 wickets in 338 matches), pacer Glenn McGrath (948 wickets in 375 matches), left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc (771 wickets in 302 matches) and pace legend Brett Lee (718 scalps in 322 matches).
Most of Lyon's wickets have come in Tests, with 571 scalps in 143 Tests at an average of 30.20, with 24 five-fors and five ten-fors to his name, with best figures of 8/50. He is the second-highest Test wicket-taker for Australia in Tests, next to Warne (708 wickets in 145 matches).
Lyon has also played 29 ODIs for Australia, picking 29 wickets with best figures of 4/44 at an average of 46.00. He has a T20I wicket as well, having played two matches in Australian colours in the shortest format.
After a dismal all-round performance led to Australia's first-ever loss to Bangladesh on their home soil, the bowling group, particularly Starc, responded with vengeance and trademark Aussie fire, not allowing Bangladesh to cross the 100-run mark in either innings and won the match by an innings and 51 runs. Australia's flaws with the bat, however, continue to persist, and the team would want them addressed ahead of the Test series in South Africa in October.
Australia won the toss and opted to field first. Starc unleashed his fury on Bangladesh batters, getting his five-wicket haul in the first seven overs and reducing Bangladesh to 12/5. Starc's fifer was a special one as four of five batters got out for a duck. He got some assistance from skipper Pat Cummins (3/25). Bangladesh was 39/9, but avoided the embarrassment of being bowled out for their lowest Test score (their lowest score being 43), as Shoriful Islam (14) emerged as their top-scorer.
With four batters touching double digits, Bangladesh was cleaned up for 64, with Starc (6/12 in 10 overs) bowling yet another legendary spell, entering the top ten Test wicket-takers by overtaking Dale Steyn.
In their first innings, Australia was reduced to 41/3, but Steve Smith (42 in 74 balls, with six fours) and Cameron Green did some repair work with a 77-run stand. However, after Starc, it was another left-arm pacer, Shoriful Islam, who did the damage. He reduced the Aussies to 148/8. Cameron Green (67 in 105 balls, with 10 fours) and Nathan Lyon (32 in 62 balls, with four boundaries and a six) played important knocks to take Australia past the 200-run mark.
Australia was skittled out for 210 at the start of day two, with Shoriful (7/48) recording the best-ever figures by a Bangladesh bowler away from home. Australia led by 146 runs.
In their second innings, Bangladesh was skittled out for just 95 runs, with the trio of Starc (4/39), Cummins (3/10) and Nathan Lyon (3/25) running rampant on Bangladesh.
Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (31 in 46 balls, with six fours) and Mushfiqur Rahim's (29* in 80 balls, with three fours) put on a 27-run stand for the fourth wicket was the highest point of Bangladesh's batting, as they collapsed from 51/3 to 95 all out. (ANI)
Nathan Lyon becomes fifth Australian bowler to reach 600 international wickets
