Nathan Lyon claimed his 20th Test five-for as Australia edged a busy first day of the opening Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
Back of the sight of his debut in five-day cricket back in 2011, Lyon (5-90) left Sri Lanka in a spin as he and Mitchell Swepson (who finished with a Test-best 3-55) bowled the hosts out for 212 – a fine counter-attacking half-century from Niroshan Dickwella limiting the damage.
Ramesh Mendis then struck twice to account for David Warner (25) and Marnus Labuschagne (13) before dangerman Steve Smith (13) was run out following a miscommunication with Usman Khawaja, to leave Australia 98-3 and still 112 runs in arrears.
Despite going wicketless in the first session, Lyon's constant pressure allowed Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc to make the morning breakthroughs – both Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis edging behind.
But after lunch Lyon had his rewards after lunch when captain Dimuth Karunaratne ballooned one to David Warner in the slips.
A couple of beauties from Swepson sent Dhananjaya de Silva and Dinesh Chandimal back to the pavilion, before Dickwella saw off the hat-trick ball and preceded to reach his half century in just 42 balls.
Lyon, who had conceded 14 runs in one over to Dickwella, accounted for Angelo Mathews and – following a 54-run seventh-wicket stand – had Mendis trapped lbw before finally having the dangerman sent packing. He had a fifth after a sharp catch from Khawaja at mid-on had Lasith Embuldeniya trudging off.
It would have been a significantly better day for the tourists if it were not for the late wickets, the last of which was a shambolic run-out when Khawaja and Smith started to run, only for the former to send the latter back and well out, leaving the former captain seething.
Shane Warne tribute
Sri Lanka's cricket board paid tribute to the late Shane Warne before the start of play, with a number of the nation's cricket icons in attendance – including off-spin great Muttiah Muralitharan and former captain Arjuna Ranatunga.
Warne died at the age of 52 in March of a suspected heart attack and took his 500th Test wicket at Galle in 2004.
The Test series will be played for the Warne-Muralitharan trophy, which has been on offer since 2007-08 but the current series is the first since the passing of Warne.
Lyon joins select club
Nathan Lyon's 20th five-wicket haul in Test cricket saw him join an elite club as one of only five Australians to secure 20 five-wicket hauls.
He joins Clarrie Grimmett, Dennis Lillee, Glen McGrath and Warne, with Lyon's latest entry coming 11 years since his maiden five-for on his debut in Galle.
Among active cricketers, Lyon ranks third behind only James Anderson of England (31) and Ravichandran Ashwin of India (30).
England beaten in final match of T20 series as India claim consolation victory
England suffered a five-wicket defeat in the final match of their T20 series with India as the hosts claimed a consolation victory at the Wankhede Stadium.
India had lost the opening two games of the three-match series, but the home batters kept their nerve to overhaul England’s total of 126 with six balls to spare.
Smriti Mandhana (48) and Jemimah Rodrigues (29) laid the foundations of India’s reply as England kept chipping away at the home side’s batting to stay in the contest.
Freya Kemp (two for 24) and Sophie Ecclestone (two for 43) shared four wickets but the latter was more expensive than usual.
Ecclestone bowled Richa Ghosh to leave India needing 11 runs from as many balls to delight the home crowd.
England might have felt they had a chance at that stage, but Amanjot Kaur struck two boundaries through the covers to see India home.
Heather Knight and Amy Jones repaired an England innings which had run into early trouble at 26 for three.
Captain Knight made 52 from 42 balls, with three fours and three sixes, while Jones contributed 21 in a fourth-wicket partnership of 41.
Tail-ender Charlie Dean (16 not out) – who shared a record England T20 ninth-wicket partnership of 50 with Knight – and opener Sophia Dunkley (11) were the only other batters to reach double figures.
Knight departed to the penultimate ball of the innings, holing out to long-on to become the ninth batter to be dismissed.
England lost their last wicket to the final ball and India were able to boost their confidence before the two sides start their Test match on Thursday.
England wrap up series with low-scoring win over India
England claimed a series victory with a four-wicket win over India in the second T20 international at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.
The hosts mustered just 80 in a dismal batting display and England went on to triumph with more than eight overs to spare despite some wobbles of their own.
Jemimah Rodrigues top-scored for India with 30 and Smriti Mandhana (10) was the only other player to reach double figures in an innings that lasted just 16.2 overs.
England shared the wickets around with Charlie Dean, Lauren Bell, Sophie Ecclestone and Sarah Glenn taking two apiece and Nat Sciver-Brunt and Freya Kemp one each.
India made a spirited attempt to defend their low total and Renuka Singh removed openers Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt early in England’s reply.
Alice Capsey (25) and Sciver-Brunt (16) repaired the damage only for England to slip from 61 for two to 73 for six with Deepti Sharma taking two for four.
Yet the Indian total always seemed inadequate and Ecclestone (nine not out) and captain Heather Knight (seven not out) completed the job.
Ollie Pope ready to step up as captain if Ben Stokes unfit for India Test series
Ollie Pope is primed to lead England if captain Ben Stokes is unable to recover for the beginning of their next Test assignment in India in the new year.
Stokes is in a race against time to be fit for the first of five Tests, starting on January 25 in Hyderabad, following an operation last month in a bid to resolve a longstanding left knee problem.
Even a slight setback in his rehabilitation might lead to a promotion for his deputy Pope, who admitted he would be naive to take Stokes’ involvement from the off in the subcontinent for granted.
“I think, naturally, when you are vice-captain there is always a risk that the captain can go down,” Pope said.
“Of course, that is something that I can think about if it needs to happen but the feedback I have had from the physios since the surgery has been really positive.
“Stokesy is doing good but it would be silly for me not to prepare and think about and if it is required of me, it is something I have pretty decent clarity about, I think.”
Pope has not played competitively since June after undergoing surgery of his own, having dislocated his right shoulder while diving in the field during the second Ashes Test at Lord’s.
It is a familiar injury – he dislocated his left shoulder twice before surgery in 2020 – but while Pope will be watchful with his overarm throwing, he insists the issue is not in the back of his mind.
“The shoulder has been good,” he said. “I trust the operation. In terms of diving around, I know I have a stable joint now and that is the good thing in my mind.
“It can still be sore when I’m throwing but that’s something I’m going to have to put up with for a while. Having a little bit of pain is only natural after a big surgery.”
“I just need to manage my throwing. A lot of the time I am just trying to save it for games when I do get a go. I will keep throwing in training but keep as many for the games as I can.”
Pope is ready to settle back into his usual spot of number three in England’s batting order in India, having established himself in the ‘Bazball’ era, averaging 42.46 in his most recent 15 appearances.
While he has 38 Test caps, the 25-year-old is yet to feature for either of England’s white-ball sides although he has been an unused squad member for their ODI series against the West Indies.
Injuries and his increasing involvement with the Test side have impacted his chance to make a case for limited-overs selection but the Surrey batter is convinced he has a role to play going forwards.
“It is a new start when you are trying to get into a new format,” he said. “I feel my game is well suited to 50-over cricket. I had a bit of bad luck in 50-over cricket over the last couple of years.
“I feel I have a lot to offer but now I want to go and show it. That will have to be in the summer now but I feel I can really develop that side of my game.
“I’ve been really happy to be here and it is one step closer to getting in the side.”
Pope will leave the Caribbean this weekend alongside Zak Crawley, Matthew Potts, Tom Hartley and Brydon Carse. England’s squad will be refreshed with the arrivals of Moeen Ali, Tymal Mills, Adil Rashid and Chris Woakes for a T20 series which starts in Barbados on Tuesday.
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