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Journalism of Courage
Shane Warne seemed almost subdued when he broke the Test wicket-taking world record, raising an arm before being congratulated by his team mates.
Perhaps it was because the wicket was only that of nightwatchman Irfan Pathan, caught off an edge to slip by Matthew Hayden, and not that of, say, Sachin Tendulkar or Rahul Dravid.
Perhaps it was because Australia still had much to do on Friday to get back into the second Test against India. Or perhaps it was because the leg spinner did not expect to hold the record for long.
The record, however, giving him 533 wickets to rival spinner Muttiah Muralitharan’s 532, was a new first for a man who has achieved almost everything on a cricket field.
He had equalled the record before, but never broken it. To do it in India, where he has never managed to dominate as he has done elsewhere, should have made the moment doubly sweet. (Reuters)
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Murali will challenge
him again |
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• It’s a great performance by Warnie to become the leading wicket-taker but I believe Murali will challenge again. He (Muralitharan) has had a similar shoulder operation to Warne and I believe he’ll come back fully fit. • He is one of the all-time greats of the game. What he has done not only for cricket in Australia but for spin bowling worldwide has been remarkable. • With his ability and longevity he was always going to achieve this and I think there is plenty of wickets left in him as well. |
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Warne in numbers
• Warne has taken 235 wickets at an average of 26.23 in 52 Test matches at home while he dismissed 299 batsmen at 25.24 in 62 away matches.
• He has taken 10 wickets in a Test match eight times and five wickets in an innings on 27 occasions.
• England’s Alec Stewart has the dubious distinction of being dismissed most often by Shane Warne 14 times, followed by another Englishman Nasser Hussain 11 times. Mike Atherton of England have been dismissed by Warne on 10 occasion.
• He has dismissed right handed batsmen on 415 occasions (77.71%) and left handed batsman on 119 occasions (22.24 %).
