Features

Murali records to remain untouched

Author: Craig Williams
Date: 04/08/2010
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Sri Lanka spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan bowed out of the Test cricket arena on a high note, exiting with a number of records that are unlikely to be broken.

The 38-year-old took a world record 800 wickets in 133 Test matches, at an average of 22.72.

The spin wizard took five wickets in an innings an incredible 67 times, while taking ten wickets in a match on a record 22 occasions.

To put that achievement into context, Australia leg-spin great Shane Warne played in 145 Test matches for the Baggy Greens, taking 37 five-wicket hauls and ending with ten wickets in a match on ten occasions.

Warne would end his Test career with 708 wickets at an average of 25.41.

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Much has been said about the nature of Muralitharan's action, but his talent and ability can never be questioned, neither could his commitment to the game, nor his enjoyment of both his own and his side's success.

Murali's best innings return came in January 2002 when he took 9-51 against Zimbabwe in Kandy, while his best match figures came in August 1998 against England at The Oval.

The mercurial offie bowled nearly 60 overs to take 7-155 as England racked up 445 all out in their first innings and, after Sri Lanka replied with 591 all out, Murali then snared 9-65 from 54.2 overs to send the hosts crashing towards a ten-wicket loss.

An unorthodox action gave Murali the ability to spin the ball prodigiously on most surfaces, while he was also the pioneer of the mythical 'Doosra', which has become such an important weapon for any finger-spinner in the modern game.

In short, Murali has changed the way the art of spin-bowling is viewed throughout the game, emerging at a time when finger-spinners were being written off as potential matchwinners.

That situation has changed considerably now, with India's Harbhajan Singh currently having more than 350 Test wickets to his name and England's Graeme Swann having been the outstanding international bowler in the last two years.

Swann, who has clearly learned much from the approach to the art of Murali, has taken 91 wickets in 20 Tests in just over 18 months, bringing a much-needed cutting edge to the England attack.

His attacking style and outgoing personality are both reminiscent of Murali and the little Sri Lankan has clearly had an effect on the game that will last long after he himself opted to leave the Test arena.

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