It was worth the wait.
Nathan Lyon has taken his 500th Test wicket, achieving the incredible feat on day four of the Perth Test against Pakistan, albeit in unconventional circumstances.
After finishing the first innings of the series opener with 499 Test scalps, the Perth crowd knew the veteran off-spinner was one breakthrough away from joining an illustrious group of cricketers.
Loud cheers erupted when the 36-year-old handed his hat to umpire Richard Illingworth in preparation for his opening spell on Sunday afternoon. Australian teammate Travis Head, ever the jokester, removed his baggy green near the non-striker’s end as well.
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In Lyon’s second over, he appealed for an LBW shot against Saud Shakeel, wisely electing not to review after Hawkeye replays suggested the ball would have bounced over the stumps. Every delivery was accompanied by strained groans throughout the venue, but he couldn’t get the job done in the afternoon session.
When he returned for a second spell after the tea break, Australia’s pace trio had already accounted for six wickets – Lyon was running out of time.
The New South Welshman ripped one past Faheem Ashraf’s outside edge, with captain Pat Cummins calling for a review for caught behind. However, nothing appeared on Hawkeye or Snicko, with Australia losing an unsuccessful review. The wait continued.
In Lyon’s following over, he trapped Ashraf on the front pad, but Illingworth shook his head following a lengthy appeal from the Australians. After consulting his teammates for 14 seconds, Cummins sheepishly signalled for another review moments before the clock’s timer ran out.
However, the crowd roared with delight when three red lights appeared on the big screen. He’d done it.
With his wife watching on from the stands, Lyon held the Kookaburra above his head, acknowledging a crowd that had risen to its feet. He had become the eighth cricketer and third Australian to reach 500 Test wickets, alongside modern greats Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.
“What an outstanding performance throughout a long career,” former Australian spinner Kerry O’Keeffe said on Fox Cricket commentary.
“The ball is in the air, the monkey is off his back because he has a monkey.”
Cricket legend Adam Gilchrist continued: “He’s such a humble man, he’s all about taking ten wickets for the team, that’s what he’s focused on, but along the journey he’s allowed us to be on, it’s been really remarkable and this will be celebrated for a long time to come.”
Lyon didn’t have to wait long to claim his 501st Test victim. Later in the same over, he bowled Pakistan debutant Aamir Jamal with a delivery that hardly bounced, creeping under the bat and thumping into the pegs.
“For a young kid growing up in country New South Wales, 500 wickets was a bloody long way away,” Lyon told Fox Cricket after the match.
“It was bloody hard work, but something I’m very proud about.”
Most Test wickets
800 – Muthiah Muralidaran (SL)
708 – Shane Warne (AUS)
690 – James Anderson (ENG)
619 – Anil Kumble (IND)
604 – Stuart Broad (ENG)
563 – Glenn McGrath (ENG)
519 – Courtney Walsh (WI)
501 – Nathan Lyon (AUS)
Former England captain Michael Vaughan predicted that Lyon could leapfrog Warne as Australia’s leading wicket-taker in Tests.
“He’s world class,” Vaughan said.
“He’s a world-class operator. And I think there’s plenty more left in the tank.
“It’s not going to be long before you start talking about the 600th. It may be in the distant future but it might be that you start talking about Shane Warne, 708.
“I think he’s that good. As long as his body stays fine. He had that horrific calf problem in the Ashes. If his body stays fine, I see another three or four years left.”
Lyon finished with figures of 2-14 from eight overs as Australia cruised towards a dominant 36-run victory over Pakistan.
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