Thursday, July 22, 2010

Muttiah Muralitharan reaches 800 Test wickets landmark

Posted on 1:51 AM by usman shafiq

Muttiah Muralitharan became the first bowler to take 800 Test wickets on the final day of his Test career in Galle.

The Sri Lanka off-spinner, 38, who made his Test debut in 1992, began his final match against India on 792 wickets.

He ousted record Test run-scorer Sachin Tendulkar on Tuesday and went on to take 5-63 as India had to follow on.

Team-mate Lasith Malinga took 5-48 but with the last pair together, Murali had last man Pragyan Ojha caught by Mahela Jayawardene at slip to reach his 800.

It left Sri Lanka needing to score 95 to win the game and take a 1-0 lead in the series, but Muralitharan's achievement - reached in his 133rd Test - will overshadow the game.

Earlier in July, Muralitharan's retirement plans - and he later confirmed that this Test in Galle, the first of a three-game series, would be his last.

He is expected to continue to play limited-overs internationals, including next spring's World Cup which will be staged in Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh.

Born in Kandy, Muralitharan has also taken 515 wickets in 337 one-day internationals, and a further 13 in Twenty20 internationals.

His unique bent-arm bowling action has meant that he has courted controversy at times during his career.

Some umpires and former players, notably in Australia, have questioned his action's legality, and it has been investigated by the International Cricket Council who cleared him of any wrongdoing.

Away from the international game, he has had spells with English counties Kent and Lancashire, and also starred for Chennai Super Kings in the lucrative Indian Premier League - taking 1-17 from his four overs as Chennai won this year's IPL final.

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