A big day for debutants Lyon and Copeland
Columnist By Kersi Meher-Homji, 2 Sep 2011 Kersi Meher-Homji is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- Australian Cricket, Cricket, Nathan Lyon, Sri Lanka cricket, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Trent Copeland
Yesterday was a day to remember for Australian Test debutants, tall quickie Trent Copeland and offie Nathan Lyon, in the Galle Test against Sri Lanka.
Australia’s modest score of 273 on the opening day of the Test on Wednesday suddenly looks a winning total, thanks to the rookies from NSW and South Australia.
Off his second ball in Test cricket, Copeland dismissed the Sri Lankan captain Tillakaratne Dilshan, thanks to a brilliant catch by Ricky Ponting.
As if saying what “Copeland can do, I can do it better”, Lyon captured a wicket off his first delivery. And what a victim: the champion batsman Kumar Sangakkara!
But Lyon has to thank his skipper Michael Clarke for this as he took a blinder in the slip.
Inspired, Lyon grabbed four more Sri Lankan scalps to end with splendid figures of 15-3-34-5.
To take 5 wickets on debut in a Test innings is far from being a record, as six bowlers have taken 8 wickets in a debut innings eight times.
Australia’s fast bowler Bob Massie and India’s spinner Narendra Hirwani did so in the first and second innings in their first Tests: Massie against England at Lord’s in 1972 and Hirwani versus. West Indies at Chennai in 1987-88.
The first bowler to take 8-fer in Test debut was Australia’s Albert Trott against England in 1894-95.
Another Aussie to take 8 wickets in an innings in his Test debut is Jason Krejza, vs. India at Nagpur in 2008-09.
Thus, Lyon’s 5-34 in his Test initiation pales in comparison. However, it has gone a long way towards Australia regaining confidence.
More significant is the fact that Lyon became only the 14th bowler and second Australian to capture a wicket off his first ball in Test cricket.
Here is the list:
Arthur Cunningham, Aus vs. Eng, Melbourne, 1894-95.
Bill Bradley, Eng vs. Aus, Manchester, 1899.
Ted Arnold, Eng vs. Aus, Sydney, 1903-04. His first ball victim was the immortal Victor Trumper.
George MacCauley, Eng vs.S Af, Cape Town, 1922-23.
Maurice Tate, Eng vs. SAf, Birmingham, 1924.
Matt Henderson, NZ vs. Eng, Christchurch, 1929-30.
Dennis Smith, NZ vs. Eng., Christchurch, 1932-33.
Tyrell Johnson, WI vs. Eng, The Oval, 1939.
Dick Howorth, Eng vs. SAf, The Oval, 1947.
Intikhab Alam, Pak vs. Aus, Karachi, 1959-60.
Richard Illingworth, Eng vs. WI, Nottingham, 1991.
Nilesh Kulkarni, Ind vs. SL, Colombo, 1997-98.
MKGCP Lakshitha, SL vs. Bangladesh, Colombo, 2002.
And now; Nathan Lyon, Aus vs. SL, Galle, 2011.
The bowling performances of the debutant bowlers, and by Shane Watson, gritty batting by Mike Hussey and Michael Clarke, and athletic fielding have put Australia in a winning position.
The Aussie morale is high after a long time. Clarkey’s men are at long last smelling a Test victory.
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September 2nd 2011 @ 5:55am
David Barbeler said | September 2nd 2011 @ 5:55am | Report comment
Nice article mate, some interesting facts. But can you please include Sri Lanka’s score next time. Cheers!
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September 2nd 2011 @ 7:57am
mds1970 said | September 2nd 2011 @ 7:57am | Report comment
I was amazed when I got home from work last night to turn on the telly and see Sri Lanka had already been bowled out. I had to look up who Nathan Lyon was – he completely snuck under the radar into the Test team.
But what a dustbowl pitch! I haven’t seen a wicket like that since Allan Border single-handedly bowled the all-conquering West Indies team at the SCG all those years ago. Imagine if Warnie and Murali had still been playing.
September 2nd 2011 @ 8:14am
Harry said | September 2nd 2011 @ 8:14am | Report comment
Warne with McGrath at the other end (see Watson’s LBW’s) on that strip would have made very very short work of any batting lineup. But yes congrats to Lyons and Copeland for their fine debuts, well backed up by good catching, and yes, captaincy. And the captain scored a very good 60 showing his excellent technique.
September 2nd 2011 @ 9:39am
JVGO said | September 2nd 2011 @ 9:39am | Report comment
Agreed, well done by Clarke. A very nice start to a new era.
September 2nd 2011 @ 8:39am
GibbonsMcGibbons said | September 2nd 2011 @ 8:39am | Report comment
Great figures by Lyon and congrats to the guy but the Sri Lankan lower order were throwing their wickets away with reckless abandon. Watson’s was the spell for the innings, late reverse swing in the high 130km’s/h was a joy to watch.
September 2nd 2011 @ 8:51am
Rugby Reg said | September 2nd 2011 @ 8:51am | Report comment
That must be the worst pitch i have ever seen for a test.
Great bowling from the aussies especially watto, reverse swing on that pitch UNPLAYABLE
great to see the morale up, the pitch is starting to disintergrate i expect Mitch and watto to clean up the second innings
September 2nd 2011 @ 8:58am
JVGO said | September 2nd 2011 @ 8:58am | Report comment
Nathan Lyon is actually from NSW and went to SA for opportunities. Except for Ponting and Hussey who are both on the verge of retirement the team is virtually a NSW side. Is this a worry? There is no Victorian or SA even in the side.
September 2nd 2011 @ 9:17am
Brett McKay said | September 2nd 2011 @ 9:17am | Report comment
JV, Lyon actually went to Canberra for opportunities – as a 17yo – and then moved to Adelaide this time last year for employment (he “replaced” the great Les Burdett). But still, I take your point. Is it a worry, for the southern states you mention, definitely. But it’s hardly NSW’s fault if no other state is producing Test cricketers..
September 2nd 2011 @ 9:24am
JVGO said | September 2nd 2011 @ 9:24am | Report comment
Yeah, there are some encouraging signs here but it would seem better for the future if there were good young players emerging from all over the country.
September 2nd 2011 @ 9:54am
jameswm said | September 2nd 2011 @ 9:54am | Report comment
You think it’s NSW-centric now?
There’s still Smith, Starc and Hazlewood to come in, with Katich, Hauritz and Bollinger on the outer for now. Not to mention Steve O’Keefe.
How would this be for a test team, all from NSW? You can’t even fit them all in.
Katich
Hughes
Khawaja
Clarke
Watson
Haddin
Smith
Hauritz or O’Keefe or another batsman
Starc
Copeland
Bollinger or Hazlewood
September 2nd 2011 @ 10:20am
JVGO said | September 2nd 2011 @ 10:20am | Report comment
I’m a proud NSWmen but this defies belief really. Maybe this explains why we are now on par (below) England. It’s virtually NSW v the World. Should the other states have a look at NSW’s development systems or something?
September 2nd 2011 @ 12:05pm
JohnB said | September 2nd 2011 @ 12:05pm | Report comment
Watson? Johnson? Harris?
September 2nd 2011 @ 12:19pm
JVGO said | September 2nd 2011 @ 12:19pm | Report comment
Harris was born in Sydney apparently. Have no idea how he came through the system. It still leaves NSW and Qld pretty much responsible for the future of Australian cricketm to the extent that two of these rookies (seemingly) have had to go elsewhere to get a start. But maybe it doesn’t matter. Maybe we are just bigger and better than everywhere else.
September 2nd 2011 @ 8:42pm
JohnB said | September 2nd 2011 @ 8:42pm | Report comment
JVGO – you’re right (per Cricinfo) about Harris – I’d always assumed he was a croweater. No idea when he moved there though. I guess you have to look at where people were born, where they grew up and where they played their “big” cricket to decide which state they’re from – but yes, NSW will no doubt do well regardless of how you frame that exercise. Not unprecedented for NSW to be providing virtually the whole team incidentally – late 50s early 60s I think?
September 2nd 2011 @ 9:14am
Brett McKay said | September 2nd 2011 @ 9:14am | Report comment
Kersi, it was an impressive debut from Copeland too, but Lyon was especially good when you consider where he was playing cricket this time last year. Yes the pitch helped, but the pitch doesn’t produce the drift and drop that Lyon delivered consistently. Good bounce, QUALITY TURN (finally, an offie who can turn one!!), there really was a lot to like. And as you say, maiden Test wickets don’t come much better for spinners than the scalp of Kumar Sangakkara…
September 2nd 2011 @ 9:28am
Kersi Meher-Homji said | September 2nd 2011 @ 9:28am | Report comment
Michael Beer must be disappointed for not getting the opportunity to bowl on this dust ball.
Nice to hear from you, Brett.
September 2nd 2011 @ 9:45am
Brett McKay said | September 2nd 2011 @ 9:45am | Report comment
I don’t know that we’ll see too much more of Beer now Kersi. Lyon’s impressive showing, combined with Hauritz’s pending fitness will probably spell the end of Beer’s meteoric rise, for the moment anyway.
And good to be back Kersi. I’ve been offline for a little while now, but it’s good to be slowly getting back into things..
September 2nd 2011 @ 12:10pm
JohnB said | September 2nd 2011 @ 12:10pm | Report comment
Beer has a bit in his way to be first choice, but might still be a chance if they wanted to go with 2 spinners – they’re not going to pick 2 offies (presumably). Of course, Beer has as little performance behind him as Lyon did, so his current 2nd or 3rd ranking in the pecking order is vulnerable to anyone else who puts their hand up by actually taking some wickets.
September 2nd 2011 @ 9:58am
Spiro Zavos said | September 2nd 2011 @ 9:58am | Report comment
Having bagged the selectors for years, we should congratulate them on giving Trent Copeland and Nathan Lyon a chance.
September 2nd 2011 @ 9:59am
jameswm said | September 2nd 2011 @ 9:59am | Report comment
Not to mention Steve Smith to come back as a leg-spinning all rounder.
I also think Paine must be pushing to come in. Haddin sells his wicket too cheaply – always has.
And once Starc proves himself for a season, we won’t have to worry about the luxury of carrying Johnson for 3 out of 4 tests.
Don’t let this probable win paper over our cracks. Hughes has been ordinary, Ponting looks too old to play long innings and should be move to 5/6 or out, and Johnson isn’t threatening. Clarke, Watson and Hussey are the only safe batsmen right now.
Harris is very good but about 31-32, and Johnson is the problem in the bowling line-up. I guess we’re stuck with Clarke as captain, but Kat needs to come back, even if only as an opener.
Bring in Katich, Paine and Starc for Hughes, Haddin and Johnson, and we’re getting there.
And once another batsman puts his hand right up, we can ease one of Ponting or Hussey out. Might not be for another year or two.
September 2nd 2011 @ 10:32am
jus de couchon said | September 2nd 2011 @ 10:32am | Report comment
5 for is Impressive but Sri Lanka are shite right now. Australias cricket decline is mirrored by others.
September 2nd 2011 @ 12:25pm
JohnB said | September 2nd 2011 @ 12:25pm | Report comment
They lost 1-0 to England with 2 draws barely 3 months ago, playing at the time of year that would suit England best. They lost the first test only after a bizarre last day collapse, and while the 2 draws were rain affected they weren’t being blown away in either game. So no, they’re not the force they with with Muralitharan in the side, but nor are they a rubbish side. Beating them in SL would still be a very good achievement.