Offie Nathan Lyon moved past legendary leggie Richie Benaud in the wicket-taking stakes as the Australians fought back into contention in the first Test against Bangladesh.
Lyon’s match figures of 9-161 off 64.3 overs has given the Australians a gettable 256 to win, when it looked as though Bangladesh was going to set an impossible target on a minefield pitch.
In the process Lyon slipped past Benaud’s Test career 248 wickets to become Australia’s second highest wicket-taking spinner in history, behind Shane Warne.
In chronological order, Benaud’s 248 scalps averaged 27.63 from 63 Tests, which translated to 3.94 wickets a Test, or 2.14 wickets an innings.
Warne’s massive 708 wickets from 145 Tests averaged 25.41 or 4,88 a Test, and 3.17 an innings.
Lyon is playing his 68th Test for his 256 wickets at an average of 32.85 – that’s 3.76 wickets a Test, or 1.97 an innings.
Pretty impressive figures for a man who has been ‘dropped’ so many times by pundits and fans, he must be dizzy at the speed of it all.
But Lyon is a fighter, and thanks to him a win is possible, albeit very difficult.
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Three isn’t a time problem with 720 minutes of play left and only 156 runs to get, but that will depend on captain Steve Smith and his deputy expanding their current 81-run stand by at least a 100.
Both dodged early bullets yesterday, Warner on 14 at slip, he resumes today on 75, and Smith avoided being stumped by the barest of margins and being dropped before he got to three. Today, the skipper will start 25 not out.
It’s a fact great teams make their own luck and the same applies to batsmen.
Australia will be 2-109 when the fourth day is open for business and with Peter Handscomb the only other reliable batsman to come, this had better be left to the executive.
Having said that, Ashton Agar and Pat Cummins showed in the first dig they have more ticker and application than Glenn Maxwell or Matt Wade.
Nice to see Agar back in baggy green. In his debut four years ago, as a 19-year-old at Trent Bridge, he cracked 98 off 106 on debut to set a new record for a No.11.
He’s a very capable all-rounder, and with Cummins getting back to his fiery fast-bowling best, both look good for the Ashes this summer.
In the meantime, Steve Smith and David Warner have a major role to play on a wicket that will spring many unwanted surprises. May one of them be a win against the odds.
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