Nathan Lyon made history by becoming the first bowler who is not Asian to collect 150 wickets in Test matches in Asia, on February 6 (Thursday). On the first day of the second Test match between Australia and Sri Lanka in Galle, Lyon achieved the milestone by taking three wickets. The famous Shane Warne was the closest player in Asia to reaching the 150-wicket mark prior to Lyon. In 25 Test matches, the legendary leg-spinner claimed 127 wickets at a bowling average of 26. In his 30th encounter on the continent, Lyon averaged 30 deliveries per wicket, earning him his 150th Test wicket in Asia.
Non-Asian bowlers with most Test wickets in Asia
Nathan Lyon - 150 wickets in 30 Tests
Shane Warne - 127 wickets in 25 Tests
Daniel Vettori - 98 in 21 Tests
James Anderson - 92 in 32 Tests
On a little drier pitch than the one used for the Galle series opener, Lyon made Sri Lanka work hard. On the first day, Sri Lanka chose to bat after winning the toss, but they were dismissed at 229 for 9 in 90 overs. Pathum Nissanka was bowled by Lyon in the eighth over. However, Dinesh Chandimal, who led Sri Lanka's scoring charts on Day 1, and Dimuth Karunaratne, who was playing his 100th and final Test for Sri Lanka, stabilized the innings with a 70-run partnership.
However, Lyon struck once more, ending the partnership in the 33rd over and removing the left-hander for 36, ruining the first half of Dimuth's final Test. In addition to dismissing senior batsman Angelo Mathews for one, the off-spinner claimed the first three wickets for Sri Lanka.
"Pretty happy with how things went. Will let that one (150 wickets in Asia in Tests) sink in overnight. I have had my fair share of hard times in the subcontinent. So to tick off 150 is special," Lyon told the broadcasters after Day 1.
Left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann, who bowled 30 overs on the day, including nine maidens, ended Dinesh Chandimal's knock in the 51st over. Chandimal played a crucial knock as he hit 74. Travis Head also had an effect, taking Kamindu Mendis out for 13 in his opening over. Mitchell Starc bowled 16 overs, resolutely carrying the weight of the pace attack. He removed Ramesh Mendis and Prabath Jayasuriya in the same over after dismissing skipper Dhananjaya de Silva for 0 in the 47th over. On Day 1, Starc's final figures from his 16 overs were 3 for 37.