Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon has joined the elite club of 500 Test wickets during the fourth day of the opening Test against Pakistan in Perth.
He has become the eighth bowler, and third Australian, to achieve 500 Test wickets by dismissing Faheem Ashraf.
Lyon had been stuck on 496 wickets after his calf injury ended his Ashes campaign earlier this year, but he continued his impressive performance at Optus Stadium. He reached 499 wickets in Pakistan's first innings by taking Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, and Aamer Jamal.
For a brief period, it seemed he might run out of opportunities as Australia's fast bowlers dominated Pakistan's second innings. However, in his seventh over, Lyon secured an lbw decision against Ashraf through the DRS.
Lyon now stands alongside Shane Warne (708) and Glenn McGrath (563) as Australian players in the 500 club, making him the fourth spinner on the list, which also includes Muthiah Muralidaran and Anil Kumble.
Lyon made his Test debut against Sri Lanka at Galle in 2011 and claimed a wicket with his first ball when he had Kumar Sangakkara caught at slip. Although it took him a couple of years to become a permanent fixture in the side his success ended a revolving door of spinners in the Test side following Warne's retirement.
The next closest to joining the group on 500 wickets is fellow off-spinner R Ashwin who currently sits on 489 ahead of India's two-Test series in South Africa then five matches at home against England from late January.
List of bowlers with 500 or more Test wickets
800 wickets - Muttiah Muralitharan (SRI) -133 Tests
708 Shane Warne - (AUS) - 145 Tests
690 James Anderson - (ENG)- 183 Tests
619 Anil Kumble - (IND) - 132 Tests
604 Stuart Broad - (ENG)- 167 Tests
563 Glenn McGrath - (AUS) - 124 Tests
519 Courtney Walsh - (WI) - 132 Tests
501 Nathan Lyon - (AUS) - 123 Tests
- Nathan Lyon