Playing to respective strengths can form base for success for teams in international cricket, and as far as playing on the subcontinental flat decks that support spin attacks immensely, the pair of Nathan Lyon and Stephen O’Keefe can be the way ahead for Australia. The ongoing tour of Sri Lanka for 3 Tests, 5 ODIs and 2 T20Is will provide the Australians ample amount of time to determine their best bowling combination, which was somehow witnessed in Sri Lanka’s first innings in Pallekele. Lyon and O’Keefe can form a very lethal pair, but Australia have to give them enough matches to find the rhythm. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: Sri Lanka vs Australia, 1st Test at Pallakele
It was expected that on the spin-friendly Sri Lankan wickets, the spinners will play a massive role. Australians were not allowed to put up a big first-innings total after shooting Sri Lanka out for paltry 117, as the hosts’ spinners came to the party and delivered what was expected from them. Australia managed an 86-run lead, and the credit goes to the Sri Lankan spinners.
But it was not expected that Sri Lanka will fold up as meekly as they did in the first innings. The disciplined Australian fast bowlers began impressively, and Lyon and O’Keefe’s role cannot be undermined after the top-order was blown away. ALSO READ: Sri Lanka have bigger problems than debating which team Muralitharan should coach
Like Ravichandran Ashwin pulverised West Indies at Antigua post lunch on Day Four in the first Test to deliver India a massive victory, Lyon did a similar job for Australia. The way Lyon set up Kusal Perera was just terrific, and it showed that the off-spinner has come a long way since making debut in the island nation five years ago.
Talking about O’Keefe, there was a lot of buzz around the left-arm spinner who had reportedly added new deliveries in his arsenal. Whether O’Keefe utilised a few of those in the first innings cannot be immediately determined, but the fact that he tossed up deliveries with a lot of ease did show that he is confident about those skills that he has recently acquired.
Australia will know that horses for courses is a method which can do wonders for them in different conditions. They are not a side that usually plays two spinners around the world, say, like India, who before adopting five-bowler strategy generally used to have someone like Ravindra Jadeja to support the ace spinner.
Australia have produced many fast bowlers of high quality in recent years, and who have been at forefront most of the days. But having two spinners with different abilities not only adds variation but also gives additional options for bowling. And if there is someone like O’Keefe in the side — who has a First-Class batting average is around 30 including 9 half-centuries — there is always the advantage of having an additional batsman in the side.
While Lyon has been a regular feature in Australian Test side in last five years, O’Keefe has got limited opportunities to show mettle. But with Australia finally having tested their bowling attack with two spinners and getting encouraging results, O’Keefe may find himself getting a longer run this time around.
It is highly unlikely that Australia will play two spinners at home when they face the likes of South Africa and Pakistan in Tests this summer, but the tour to India in early 2017 will demand the pair of Lyon and O’Keefe back in the side. And if Adam Zampa continues his good work back in the Australian domestic circuit, it will surely be a win-win situation for the No. 1-ranked side.
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