Special Adelaide day for Lyon and Head

Scott Bailey and Jasper Bruce | December 9, 2022

Nathan Lyon has become the leading wicket-taker at Adelaide Oval and local Travis Head has struck the highest score of his career to keep Australia firmly in control of the second Test against West Indies.

After Head forced his way to 175 in Australia’s 7(dec)-511, Lyon took his record-breaking wicket under lights to leave the tourists 4-102 at stumps on night two of the pink-ball Test with their hopes in significant peril.

Once a curator at the ground, Lyon had Jermaine Blackwood caught-and-bowled on three to go above Shane Warne with 57 wickets at the iconic venue.

Adelaide Striker Michael Neser – becoming something of a specialist at the ground with his only other Test there last year – also claimed 2-22 as Australia rammed home their advantage on Friday.

But of all those with close links to the ground, the day belonged to Head, who was on track to become the first South Australian to score a Test double-century before being run out in a mix up with Cameron Green.

Looking completely in command, Head was visibly frustrated when he turned back for a second after Green had flicked one off his hips and then sent the middle-order batter back.

“I’ll enjoy it at some point, but I felt like there was a few out there,” Head said.

“You don’t get many opportunities to feel the way I did and with the situation of the game to make the most of it and dip my break.

“It was a disappointing way of ending.

“I’ve hit 286 runs in the past two weeks and been filthy, 99 last week and run out this week. Amazing how the game works.”

Head’s knock comes with the 28-year-old the most in doubt to keep his spot for February’s tour of India in far different conditions, but his current run of form can only help.

He made 152 in the final one-day game before the Test summer, and then backed it up with 99 in Australia’s big win in Perth last week against West Indies.

In Adelaide, he slapped and drove anything wide outside the off stump at will, while also twice flicking Jason Holder over midwicket and to the boundary in Friday’s opening session.

His knock also came off just 219 balls, showing off his ability to swing a match in his team’s favour quickly.

When he joined Marnus Labuschagne at the wicket on day one, the game was in the balance at 3-131 after Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith were dismissed in quick succession.

He and Labuschagne then combined for a 297-run stand, with both reaching their centuries on day one and the latter also finishing on 163 on Friday when he was caught behind off Devon Thomas.

Labuschagne’s third straight century also made him the equal-second fastest to 3000 Test runs behind Sir Donald Bradman, bringing up the milestone in his 51st innings.

When they went, Green looked sluggish for his nine but Alex Carey hit an unbeaten 41 for the declaration just before tea.

Neser then struck after the break, catching the edges of first-Test stonewall Kraigg Brathwaite (19) and Shamarh Brooks (8) with a wobble seam outside off stump.

And after Lyon got Blackwood, Green atoned for his mix-up with Head for the local fans by bowling Thomas on 19 late in the day.

That left Tagenarine Chanderpaul (47no) to see the visitors to the close in his second Test alongside nightwatchman Anderson Phillip.