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.
noshir
Guest
Kersi, I enjoyed your article very much and as usual was packed with facts and figures. It was great to see that the new "boys" did such a good job and did not fail the selectors. I was pleasantly surprised and proud to read that 3 other Australians - Bob Masssie, Albert Trott and Jason Krejza are in the '8 wicket' league.
jamesb
Guest
great to see Australia win the first test against sri lanka. we finally have an opening combo in harris and copeland that can bowl good line and length. Pleased for Harris that he got a five for, considering the injury set backs. I'm also pleased that Copeland has made an impressive debut. Only picked up the 1 wicket, but was impressive with tight bowling figures. After the ashes debacle i wanted copeland in the side. the next player i want in the side is queensland batsman Chris Lynn PS: promising debut from Lyon. If he keeps taking wickets on a consistent basis, we have a spinner
Lolly
Guest
He doesn't bowl a lot of short junk like Krayfish. He actually looks like he could bowl decent line and length. Quite frankly, that will do for now.
MrKistic
Guest
I don't think we can discount McDermott's influence there either.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
It took nine long years for Australia's Nathan Lyon to become the next man to grab a wicket off his very first Test delivery since Sri Lanka's Chamila Gamage (Lakshitha), who did so against Bangladesh at Colombo in 2002. His victim was Mohammad Ashraful. "It is not at all easy for a debutant to take a wicket in the very first ball of his Test career. This is because the player is nervous at the time while getting the Test cap", Chamila Gamage (Lakshitha) told India's top journalist Bipin Dani.
JohnB
Guest
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?
sledgeross
Guest
Its a joke that Beer got a baggy green in the first place.......
JohnB
Guest
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.
JVGO
Guest
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.
JohnB
Guest
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.
JohnB
Guest
Watson? Johnson? Harris?
Matt F
Guest
The best thing I took out of it was that we finally had an opening bowling combination that actually built pressure. Copelands pitch map was fantastic and Harris was superb without any luck. It's amazing what happens when you pick bowlers who are willing able to focus on line and length rather then bowling as fast as they can. I'm reserving judgement on Lyon until he plays on pitches that last more then a day and a half (still scarred by the Krejza fluke) but he looked very promising. Get a lead of 300-350 and we should win easily.
jus de couchon
Guest
5 for is Impressive but Sri Lanka are shite right now. Australias cricket decline is mirrored by others.
JVGO
Guest
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?
jameswm
Guest
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.
Spiro Zavos
Expert
Having bagged the selectors for years, we should congratulate them on giving Trent Copeland and Nathan Lyon a chance.
jameswm
Guest
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
Brett McKay
Guest
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..
JVGO
Guest
Agreed, well done by Clarke. A very nice start to a new era.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Michael Beer must be disappointed for not getting the opportunity to bowl on this dust ball. Nice to hear from you, Brett.