
Australia8217;s Shane Warne became the first spinner to take 500 Test wickets on Friday on the final day of the first Test against Sri Lanka.Warne, in his first Test back following a 12-month drugs ban, removed Hashan Tillakaratne shortly after lunch when the batsman top-edged a sweep to short mid-wicket to leave Sri Lanka, chasing 352 to win, on 119-7.
Former West Indies pace bowler Courtney Walsh is the only man to have taken more Test wickets, with 519. Sri Lanka8217;s off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, Warne8217;s great rival and also playing in the Galle match, has taken 496 Test wickets.
Warne, starting the day on 496 wickets, snapped up the wickets of Marvan Atapattu, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene before lunch.
Warne, banned after testing positive for a diuretic on the eve of last year8217;s World Cup, had celebrated a five-wicket haul in the first innings. He finished Friday8217;s first session with 3-27 from 11 overs. He dismissed Atapattu 16, who edged a bouncing leg break to slip. Dilshan lasted eight minutes before falling lbw, outwitted by a quicker, flatter delivery and the spinner then grabbed wicket No. 499 when Jayawardene 21 edged a leg break to Matthew Hayden at slip.