Nathan Lyon Breaks 79-Year-Old Australian Cricket Record

Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon picked up five wickets on a turning track but Bangladesh fought back to reach 253-6 at stumps on the opening day of the second Test. Lyon decimated Bangladesh's top order with four consecutive LBWs before Sabbir Rahman and Mushfiqur Rahim put on 105 for the sixth wicket to steady the hosts in Chittagong. Lyon disposed of the four opening batsman before claiming his fifth in the last session when Sabbir was stumped. Lyon will fondly remember the opening day of 2nd Test for more than just his five wickets. Lyon became the first Aussie spinner since Bill O'Reilly in 1938 to open the bowling on the first morning of a Test. While Pat Cummins bowled the opening over of the day, Lyon shared the new ball with him. The offie ended the day with figures of 5 for 77 off 28 overs.

Australian slow bowlers have opened an innings on several occasions since O'Reilly partnered Ernie McCormick against England at Trent Bridge in 1938. Steve O'Keefe was brought in to bowl by Steve Smith in Pune earlier this year. Lyon, however, is the first since O'Reilly to bowl very first innings of the Test match.

Lyon's scalps included Tamim Iqbal, one of the architects of Bangladesh's historic victory over Australia, who fell for just nine on his home ground.

He also sent back Mominul Haque, who boasts the highest batting average of the Bangladesh team.

Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar got the other wicket for Australia, as a three-pronged spin attack took the battle to the hosts.

Agar dismissed Shakib-al Hasan, whose all-round heroics earned him man of the match in the first Test, for 24.

Rahim had won the toss and opted to bat first on what looked like a spinners' paradise. Bangladesh brought in Mominul in place of pace bowler Shafiul Islam.

Australia picked spin bowling all-rounder O'Keefe, who replaced injured fast bowler Josh Hazlewood.

Hilton Cartwright replaced out-of-sorts batsman Usman Khawaja, who scored just one run each in his two innings in the first Test.

(With inputs from AFP)