Lyon takes 500th Test wicket as Australia thrash Pakistan
Australia’s Nathan Lyon passed 500 career Test wickets to help seal a 360-run first Test victory over Pakistan.
Lyon dismissed Faheem Ashraf and Aamer Jamal to pass 500 wickets, with Pakistan bowled out for 89 in their chase of 450.
Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc both took three wickets each as Pakistan subsided meekly in Perth.
Australia go 1-0 up in the three-match series, with the second Test starting on Boxing Day. Australia dominated with both bat and ball throughout the Test, with Usman Khawaja (90) and Mitchell Marsh (63 not out) both scoring half-centuries on day four as Australia declared on 233-5.
In response, Pakistan’s top order crumbled, their top four putting on just 28 runs between them. It was Pakistan’s lowest score in a Test since being bowled out for 81 by the West Indies in April 2017.
Off-spinner Lyon became the eighth player to take 500 career Test wickets on the fourth day of the first Test.
Lyon claimed his milestone wicket when he removed Faheem lbw on review.
It makes Lyon just the third Australia to reach the landmark after Shane Warne (708) and Glenn McGrath (563). Lyon had to wait to claim his 500th wicket in the second innings.
He would likely have taken the wicket in last summer’s Ashes series in England had he not been injured in the second Test at Lord’s.
Australia 487 and 233-5 dec: Khawaja 90, Shahzad 3-45
Pakistan 271 and 89: Shakeel 24, Hazlewood 3-13, Starc 3-31.