Sri Lanka vs Australia, 1st Test: Nathan Lyon 5-wicket haul gives Australia upper hand on 13-wicket Day 1

Sri Lanka vs Australia: Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Swepson picked up 8 wickets between them as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 212 after opting to bat on the opening day of the 1st Test.

Australia are ahead, albeit only by a slender margin after 13 wickets fell on the opening day of the 1st Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Wednesday, June 26. Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Swepson shone for the visitors, picking up as many as 8 wickets between them as Sri Lanka's top-order crumbled.

At Stumps, Australia were 98 for 3 with Usman Khawaja leading the charge with 47 not out. The visitors are still trailing by 114 runs in what promises to be a trial by spin for both teams.

Sri Lanka had headed into the series on the back of a sensational ODI series win over Australia earlier this month. However, the Tests are going to be a sterner challenge against Australia, who aced the first of three sub-continent challenge, beating Pakistan 1-0 in Pakistan earlier this year.

Australia could have been in a more dominant position had they avoided rash shots and a run-out. On a pitch where spinners dictated terms, David Warner scored at nearly a run-a-ball before falling LBW to Ramesh Mendis for 23. Marnus Labuschange was out for 13 after playing an uncharacteristic reverse-sweep while Steve Smith was run-out for 6 after a mix-up with Usman Khawaja.

Earlier, a belligerent 58 by Niroshan Dickwella rescued Sri Lanka who had been on 97-5 in the second session after they won the toss and opted to bat.

Nathan Lyon was the star of the show as he picked up his 2nd 5-wicket haul in Sri Lanka after being introduced into the attack as early as the first hour of the day's proceedings. Notably, 11 years after picking up his maiden 5-wicket haul on debut in Galle, Lyon picked up his 20th at the same venue.

Sri Lanka's senior batters, including captain Karunaratne and Angelo Matthews, were not able to convert their starts into big knocks.