Nathan Lyon grew to become the main wicket-taker at Adelaide Oval and native Travis Head hit the very best rating of his profession to maintain Australia firmly in command of the second Test towards West Indies.
After Head pressured his approach to 175 in Australia’s 7(dec)-511, Lyon took his record-breaking wicket underneath lights to go away the vacationers 4-102 at stumps on evening two of the pink-ball Test with their hopes in vital peril.
Once a curator on the floor, Lyon had Jermaine Blackwood caught-and-bowled on three to go above Shane Warne with 57 wickets on the iconic venue.
Adelaide Striker Michael Neser – changing into one thing of a specialist on the floor together with his solely different Test there final 12 months – additionally claimed 2-22 as Australia rammed residence their benefit.
But of all these with shut hyperlinks to the bottom, the day belonged to Head, who was on observe to grow to be the primary South Australian to attain a Test double-century earlier than a combination up with Cameron Green.
Looking fully in command, Head was visibly pissed off when he turned again for a second after Green had flicked one off his hips after which despatched the middle-order batter again.
Head’s knock comes with the 28-year-old probably the most doubtful to maintain his spot for February’s tour of India in far totally different situations, however his present run of type can solely assist.
He made 152 within the closing one-day sport earlier than the Test summer time, after which backed it up with 99 in Australia’s large win in Perth final week towards West Indies.
In Adelaide he slapped and drove something huge exterior the off stump at will, whereas additionally twice flicking Jason Holder over midwicket and to the boundary within the opening session on Friday.
His knock additionally got here off simply 219 balls, displaying off his means to swing a match in his workforce’s favour rapidly.
When he joined Marnus Labuschagne on the wicket on day one, the sport was within the steadiness at 3-131 after Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith have been dismissed in fast succession.
He and Labuschagne then mixed for a 297-run stand, with each reaching their centuries on day one and the latter additionally ending on 163 on Friday when he was caught behind off Devon Thomas.
Labuschagne’s third straight century additionally made him the equal-second quickest to 3000 Test runs behind Sir Donald Bradman on Friday, citing the milestone in his 51st innings.
When they went, Green appeared sluggish for his 9 however Alex Carey hit an unbeaten 41 for the declaration simply earlier than tea.
Neser then struck after the break, catching the sides of first-Test stonewall Kraigg Brathwaite (19) and Shamarh Brooks (8) with a wobble seam exterior off stump.
And after Lyon received Blackwood, Green atoned for his mix-up with Head for the native followers by bowling Thomas on 19 late within the day.
That left Tagenarine Chanderpaul (47no) to see the guests to the shut in his second Test alongside nightwatchman Phillip Anderson.
