Murali level with Shane Warne
Muttiah Muralitharan may become test cricket’s all time leading wicket-taker as early as today, with the Sri Lankan off spinner claiming four wickets as the home nation claws its way back into the first test against England in Kandy.
England is 182/5 during the middle session of the second day, a deficit of 6.
Murali has 4/30 off 21 overs, taking Murali to 708 test wickets, equal with Shane Warne.
England was seemingly cruising at 107/1, before Murali took control. Showing no ill-effects of his poor Australian series, Murali was unnervingly accurate, removing Michael Vaughan for 37. The England captain was judged out on a bat-pad appeal, perhaps incorrectly. Ian Bell(83) was Murali’s next victim, miscuing a drive that required a sharp catch by Chamara Silva at mid-wicket.
The third wicket was Murali’s best. The off-spinner trapped the dangerous Kevin Pietersen with a deceptively quicker ball from around the wicket, pitching on middle stump and straightening.
Murali reverted back over the wicket for his fourth dismissal. Debutante Ravi Bopara (8) attempted to turn a delivery down the legside, only to gently feather the spinning ball to Prasanna Jayawardene.
With the Kandy wicket already turning wickedly for Murali, it almost seems a formality that the record will become his in this innings.
Murali has held the all-time record for test wickets in the past, however with Warne retired, the record will belong to the Sri Lankan for years to come.
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