Cricket: Lyon spins Australia to victory

Nathan Lyon's 12 wickets gave Australia a brilliant victory. Photo / Getty Images

Spinner Nathan Lyon took seven second-innings wickets and 12 for the match as Australia pulled off a stunning 48-run win over India on Saturday in the first test at the Adelaide Oval.

India looked set to achieve a record fourth-innings run chase after stand-in captain Virat Kohli (141) and opener Murali Vijay (99) led India through a second session without loss.

But Australia took eight wickets in the final session, the match ended by Lyon on a stumping for the final wicket, prompting emotional celebrations by an Australia team playing its first match since the death of teammate Phillip Hughes two weeks ago in a domestic match.

Lyon, a former member of the Adelaide Oval ground staff early in his career, finished with match figures of 12-286 against an India side expert at playing off-spin bowling.

"I just had to keep asking questions and lucky enough some went my way," said Lyon of the many lbw appeals that the umpires turned down.

Before Lyon's late heroics, Vijay and Kohli, subbing for injured skipper MS Dhoni, combined for a 150-run partnership in the second session Saturday and looked set to save - or even help win - the test.

Needing 364 runs for victory from 98 overs on the final day, India was 105-2 at lunch and 205-2 at tea. The 159 further runs required in the final session was a temptingly achievable target for India's batsmen, who kept playing their shots in pursuing a record run chase, rather than trying grind out a draw.

The highest victorious fourth-innings test total at the Adelaide Oval remains Australia's 315-6 against England in 1902, Lyon toiled through 34.1 overs yesterday but the 26th - a double-wicket maiden - was arguably his most important.

The offspinner trapped Vijay lbw on 99 and Chris Rogers claimed a straightforward catch at short leg to dismiss Ajinkya Rahane for a duck.

Both men lingered at the crease and stared at Erasmus - Vijay in disbelief after being denied a ton and Rahane aggrieved because he didn't hit the ball.

Clarke said in the post-match ceremony that his side did Phillip Hughes "proud". Hughes' shock death caused the series to be rescheduled.

-Agencies