Nathan Lyon’s first ball showed exactly how crazy the Galle pitch is going to get.
The Aussie spinner was brought into the attack just five overs into the match and his first ball showed why.
His gem of a delivery showed, drift, turn and bounce and was agonisingly close to knocking over Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne.
Bowling around the wicket, Lyon’s ball pitched in line with middle stump before turning sharply to miss the outside edge and the top of off-stump.
The added bounce caught keeper Alex Carey unprepared and it went on to smash into his face. He was not happy.
Nathan Lyon’s first delivery of the series beats the outside edge and clocks wicketkeeper Alex Carey between the eyes…#SLvAUS
— Nic Savage (@nic_savage1) June 29, 2022
That first ball from Lyon was better than the one that got Sangakkara out on his debut.
Wowza. #SLvAUS
— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) June 29, 2022
11 years after taking the wicket of Kumar Sangakkara with his first ball in Test cricket, at this very venue, Nathan Lyon almost clean bowled Dimuth Karunaratne first ball today. It bounced over the top and hit keeper Carey in the helmet!
🇱🇰 14/0 (5.1)#SLvAUS pic.twitter.com/HFumckIoSA
— 🏏Flashscore Cricket Commentators (@FlashCric) June 29, 2022
The drama continued in Lyon’s second spell as the Aussies appeared to make a big mistake with burning their first review of the Test.
Cummins reviewed a decision after his appeal for an inside edge was rejected by the on-field umpire. Replays showed Kusal Mendis’ bat and gloves were nowhere near the ball before it struck him on the pads and landed in Marnus Labuschagne’s hands.
