Australia has kicked off the first Test with a vintage David Warner century, a 500th wicket for Nathan Lyon, and a resounding win over Pakistan. Despite a plucky performance from the tourists led by debutant Amir Jamal’s six-wicket haul and some solid first-innings knocks from their top order, the Aussies had to work harder for victory than expected. On the final day, Pakistan crumbled dramatically in the face of Australia’s strong bowling attack.
Mitchell Marsh performed exceptionally well, notching twin half-centuries in his first Test on home soil in nearly five years. However, Marnus Labuschagne struggled, scoring only 16 and 2, marking 2023 as his worst year with the bat since his debut in 2019. Steve Smith and Travis Head had mixed performances, while Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins impressed with their bowling.
Australia’s wicketkeeper, Alex Carey, shone with his performance behind the stumps, taking twin stumpings off Nathan Lyon and safely pouching five catches. A highlight of the match was Nathan Lyon’s 500th Test wicket at Optus Stadium. Lyon took up the mantle as the legendary spinner, displaying his expertise in extracting the best from the pace-bowling pitch.
The match featured several notable performances, with the Aussies setting a strong precedent for the rest of the series.