Cricket: Australia Still In Hunt, Says Lyon

Umer Jamshaid Published August 13, 2016 | 08:30 PM

COLOMBO, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th August, 2016) - Australia's Nathan Lyon Saturday praised Dhananjaya de Silva and Dinesh Chandimal for Sri Lanka's epic fightback on the opening day of the final Test in Colombo, but insisted the visitors were very much in the game. De Silva and Chandimal put together an unbeaten 188-run partnership for the sixth wicket to steer Sri Lanka to 214 for five after the Australian bowlers wreaked havoc. Pace spearhead Mitchell Starc and Lyon shared five wickets between them to reduce the hosts to 26 for five before lunch but failed to make further inroads. De Silva, who scored his maiden Test century, remained unbeaten on 116 at the close, with strong support from Chandimal who was batting on 64.

"Lucky enough to take five early wickets but you should give credit to the two guys batting.

They have batted outstandingly and they are in a good partnership," Lyon told reporters. "So we have to come back tomorrow and start the grind again. The game is not out of our depth, that's for sure. "If you go anywhere in the world and say at stumps 210 for five (214 for five) after them winning the toss and batting first, it's a big tick, so we are in a fight and that's the best thing about it," Lyon added.