Muralitharan breaks Warne’s record

Muttiah Muralitharan became the highest wicket-taker in Tests...

•Muttiah Muralitharan became the highest wicket-taker in Tests by bowling out England batsman Paul Collingwood on the third day of the first Test at Asgiriya Stadium, Kandy on Monday

•It was Muralitharan’s 709th wicket in 116 Tests. Australian Shane Warne, who claimed 708 wickets in 145 Tests between 1992 and 2007, held the previous record

•Muralitharan, who made his Test debut against Australia at Colombo in 1992, took 15 years and 97 days to set the record

•It is the third time Muralitharan has held the record, having originally passed Courtney Walsh in 2004 against Zimbabwe in Harare before briefly sharing the mark with Shane Warne

•He then claimed it outright for the second time against South Africa until a shoulder injury allowed Warne to move back to the top

•Murali had drawn level with Warne this time when he got Ravi Bopara on the Test’s second afternoon, but was forced to wait for the crucial wicket through a mixture of rain, which forced the players off early on Sunday afternoon, and stubborn English resistance. Finally, in his 10th over of the day, he bowled Collingwood with a doosra and the ground erupted

•He took 9/51 runs against Zimbabwe in Kandy in 2002 — his best figures in an innings. His best in a match —16/ 220 — came against England at The Oval in 1998.