Sri Lanka vs. Australia: 1st Test open thread: insert Lyon pun headline here

Australia are 283 runs ahead with 4 wickets remaining in the second innings but the story of the First Test is Nathan Lyon’s incredible haul of 5-35 on debut.

Queue the nation’s subeditors…

For those that missed it you can watch his bowling performance here:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2B2pcGKBB8[/youtube]

On a pitch that has more spin than a Julia Gillard press conference it’s going to be hard for the Sri Lankans to turn this around.

When Australia bowls again today, watching Lyon have a crack at a 10 wicket debut will be compelling viewing. Have we finally found a world class spinner or it is just the pitch?

On Lyon, I’ll leave the last word to Jarrod Kimber, cricket writer extraordinaire, on his blog Cricket With Balls:

The problem is Nathan Lyon is just a man, he can probably turn water into wine when conditions favour it, but he’ll drown if he tries to walk on water.

It’s also possible that he is a false prophet, that this is just some random fluke that he can never repeat again.

And don’t say that can’t happen, I’ve still got my monogrammed “Jason Krejza is my saviour” dressing gown.

Some reading from around the traps:

• Nathan Lyon: Is that you, Jesus? — Cricket With Balls
• Nathan Lyon’s debut in the sun — Cricinfo
• New flingers and old selectors, take a bow — The Age
• Quest for a spinner bears fruit — The Australian