Australia now own the best bowling attack in Test cricket as they underlined yesterday, skittling Sri Lanka on day one of the first Test in Kandy.
While South Africa and England are a match for Australia in the pace stakes, both those teams have a paucity of spin options. Australia, meanwhile, have a wonderfully well-rounded attack thanks to the reliability and ever-increasing potency of off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
After Australia’s brilliant new ball pair of Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc scythed through the top order, Lyon put paid to any potential Sri Lankan fightback. Operating with a tantalising loop, the tweaker snared 3-0 in the space of seven balls after lunch.
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There was no trickery or exorbitant turn from Lyon, just guile and control. After tossing up a few deliveries, he speared in a flatter ball which trapped batsman Dhananjaya de Silva on the crease.
The quicker pace, coupled with Lyon’s trademark lift off the deck, undid de Silva and he popped a tame catch to bat-pad.
The length was in that perfect zone where a batsman knows not whether to advance or retreat, and so often does neither. It was this same befuddling length which brought Lyon his second wicket two balls later.
Dilruwan Perera was caught in two minds and made the mistake of playing back. The ball hurried on to him, rapping his pads plumb in front. Lyon signed off by castling left-handed strokemaker Kusal Perera. The Sri Lankan saw the ball looping up outside off and so shaped to leave the ball.
But he did not take into account the generous drift Lyon typically earns, thanks to the heavy revs he imparts on his deliveries. The ball curved back in, landed just outside off and skidded on to clip the stumps.
The first day Kandy pitch was by no means a spinner’s wet dream. Indeed the Sri Lankan tweakers barely made the ball turn an inch. Yet Lyon got his deliveries to grip and bounce, finishing with 3-12.
With 198 wickets to his name, he is now a genuine world-class cricketer. The 2014 home series against India was the turning point for Lyon. From the start of that summer he has taken 83 wickets at an average of 27 from just 20 Tests – Australia’s leading wicket taker in that period.
His consistency in that time has been outstanding. In 18 of those 20 Tests he has taken at least three wickets. The likes of England, South Africa and New Zealand, each of whom have skilled pacemen, would kill for a spinner the quality of Lyon.
Instead they are stuck with the likes of Moeen Ali, Dane Piedt and Mark Craig, respectively, none of whom are Test-standard spinners. Australia also will be buoyed by the performances of backup tweaker Steve O’Keefe.
The left armer bowled beautifully yesterday after dominating in Australia’s warm-up match against a Sri Lanka XI, snatching 10-64 to go with an unbeaten knock of 78. So confident was Steve Smith in the ability of O’Keefe that he threw him the ball after just eight overs yesterday.
Where O’Keefe bowled too flat on Test debut in the UAE two years ago, at Kandy he regularly achieved a teasing arc. It was in the flight that he defeated Sri Lanka’s best batsman, skipper Angelo Mathews, inducing an edge to slip.
O’Keefe later finished the Sri Lankan innings in similar fashion. Admittedly, his spell of 10.2 overs was a very limited sample size. But he looked more confident and natural in his action than he had in his first two Tests. If he can bowl like this in India in February and March, then he and Lyon may well enable Australia to compete with the hosts in that four-Test series.
For now, however, Australia have a Test and series to win in Sri Lanka. Their bowlers have put them in a commanding position but Sri Lanka’s trio of spinners should offer a robust challenge to the batsmen tomorrow.
Australia started in shaky fashion, particularly against Herath. Although he barely got a single ball to turn, Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja played Herath as if he was bowling hand grenades. Australia could have been 3-14 when Khawaja played inside the line of a Herath delivery and edged between the keeper and slip.
Early in his innings, the elegant left hander resorted to his old, unsuccessful mode of playing spin, staying rooted to the crease and looking to nudge singles square of the wicket.
It was not until he began to play more frequently off the front foot, using the sweep shot well, that Khawaja looked at ease against the slow men.
Sri Lanka will have seen enough panic from the Australian batsmen in their play against spin to feel confident of dismissing them cheaply tomorrow. The key will be fleet-footed Aussie captain Steve Smith, who looked by far the most assured batsman against spin on day one.
If he and Khawaja can negotiate the first hour tomorrow, Australia will be in prime position to push for a crushing victory. But there remains a small window of opportunity for Sri Lanka to burst back into this Test, most likely on the back of Herath.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Keyboard Warrior
Eski
Guest
Haha jack why r u on here I'm pretty sure the point of this site is to discuss points of opinion on sport not to attack people personally
Don Freo
Guest
Known to whom? That sounds like a "ridiculous pronouncement" by you, Jack.
Gnasher
Guest
Cook got a lucky 81 at Lord's in the first innings, then? 270 runs in the first two tests, at an average of 90.
jack
Guest
"No denying they have an excellent attack but seriously, if Sri Lanka is your gauge for that bold claim then that is thin " Especially since this pilliock pronounced in the lead up that "Australia will thrash Sri Lanka in the tests and it wont even be close" He's approaching David Lord levels of cognitive dissonance
jack
Guest
I believe he was taking the mickey Aussie always have the best of everything until they play a side who's on their level and all of a sudden the results dont reflect the predictions
jack
Guest
Whats the issue here? Cook was lucky to make anything at all at Lords and did well in the 2nd test. Doesnt mean he wont get his behind handed to him during this series.... He's certainly got a weakness against the left armers and one test doesnt overturn that. I recall seeing Warne get dealt to in the odd innings.. does that mean he aint the GOAT? It was a resounding victory at Lords and its not as if we havent seen topsy turvy results in test series in the past decade with games going convincingly one way or the other for the duration of a series. That being said Ronan is known for ridiculous pronouncements and loving the sound of his own keyboard a little too much
jack
Guest
Wow What an achievement.... cleaning out a side who "won't even get close" now provides you with proof of how great your attack is. You're a clown An Aussie chest beating buffoon of the highest order and thats quite an achievement round here
Colin N
Guest
Re: Broad and Anderson, their career averages are rather skewed by the fact that they weren't nearly as consistent early on. Before 2008, I think Anderson averaged 34 while Broad after 20 Test matches averaged 40.
PeterD
Guest
Despite all that England with this bowling attack more often than not have beaten Australia since 2005 despite the 5 nil thrashing. I think the Aussie bowlers need a bit more of a career before you can claim they are the best!
PeterD
Guest
Here''s your list mate as follows:- The one day world cup and that''s about it in recent success I think? Lol
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Give me strength. OK, I'll spell it out. 3 front line bowlers who are also worth their place with the bat means you can play 5 front line in your attack and bat very deep. It's a double whammy. It's just as important a factor if not more so as Lyon being the pick of the contenders spinners, which is Ronan's contention for declaring Australia as having the best attack. Ergo, I think he's ignoring an important angle.
Jake
Guest
Is that all? Your chest beating is kinda cute for such an unimpressive list but good on you for being so proud
PeterD
Guest
Don't worry about us Jake! We will find comfort in having 12 professional boxing world champs including 2 versions of the World heavyweight title, the Davis cup, the F1 World champion, the Tour de France, the Masters in golf, Wimbledon, Grand Slam Champions, whipping you lot out of sight in the rugby, numerous Olympic medalist and World Champs, the Rugby Junior World Cup and last but not least the Ashes! In other words I think you need to worry about why you are no longer top dogs?
Eski
Guest
Mike My comment was on bowling depth not on who has the ashes England Do have some Talented pace bowlers coming through but the list of bowlers adding depth to England's face bowling stocks does not contain Finn, Tremlett , Bresnan or onions
Mike Huber
Roar Pro
Botham was a far better cricketer than Kapil Dev and a superior batsman to Richard Hadlee .
Mike Huber
Roar Pro
Eski All fair points you make however, the bottom line is England have the Ashes Australia don't , period . All this conjecture and hyperbole is academic . Australia have failed miserably to win back to back Ashes series for a long, long time.
Mike Huber
Roar Pro
The Bush " Australian bowlers operate as a unit and share the wicket taking responsibilities " Oh really - so Australia would of won the last series here without Mitchel Johnson - since when did Australia have this mesmerizing pace battery ? The truth of the success of modern Test cricket with Australia lies in two words , Warne & McGrath . Take these two out and Australia is no better than England, SA, India , Pakistan - and the results prove that since these guys retired . If you think that the current Aussie bowlers are better than Broad and Anderson then I understand why nature is so unkind in Australia !
Mike Huber
Roar Pro
Jake Is that the best you got," keep em coming Mike" ? What's next in your intellectual arsenal, Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi .................
Mike Huber
Roar Pro
Jameswm old Chap Here are some facts for you : While Anderson may not boast as imperious an average as all time greats, at his best he is a proven match-winner, with 15 of his 20 five-wicket hauls leading to England victories and only two coming in losses. Conversely , Wasim Akram has often described Anderson as the greatest bowler of his era . I somehow think Wasim knows more about bowlers than you Sir..........lol !