Lyon spins Australia to emphatic win over Pakistan in second Test
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Nathan Lyon grabbed five wickets to spin Australia to an emphatic innings and 48-run victory in the second Test against Pakistan on Monday as the hosts swept the series 2-0.
Called to follow on, Pakistan’s batsmen battled hard at Adelaide Oval to make Australia bat again but were bowled out for 239 in their second innings shortly after the dinner break of the day-night test.
Four years after sweeping Misbah-ul-Haq’s Pakistan 3-0, Australia maintained their perfect record against the south Asians on home soil.
Denied a wicket despite some good spells in Pakistan’s first innings 302, Lyon smashed through their defences on a docile pitch, removing Shaan Masood and Asad Shafiq before tea after both scored defiant half-centuries.
He returned to break another stubborn 47-run partnership between number six Iftikhar Ahmed and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, with Marnus Labuschagne finally catching a nick at short leg after grassing three earlier chances in the test.
With Iftikhar, Pakistan’s last specialist batsman gone, it was only a matter of time for the tourists.
Yasir Shah was unable to repeat his first innings heroics when he scored an unlikely ton. He fell for 13 when trapped lbw by Lyon and duly threw away a referral trying to overturn the decision.
The dinner break held up Australia’s victory march but they took the second new ball shortly after the interval, allowing Josh Hazlewood to bowl Rizwan.
A comical mix-up between tail-enders saw Pat Cummins run out Mohammad Abbas for the final wicket to wrap up the match.
While Lyon enjoyed the spoils on day four, the match belonged to opener David Warner, who scored an unbeaten 335 to drive Australia to a mammoth first-innings total of 589 for three.
Despite a brave maiden century by Pakistan legspinner Yasir, it proved too much to overcome for Azhar Ali’s side, who were rocked by Australia’s pace bowlers on two successive nights when the pink ball was at its most devilish under the lights.
