Shane Warne reaches 700-wicket mark

Mohandas Menon

When he claimed the wicket of Mumbai's Amol Muzumdar in the second innings at the Brabourne Stadium, Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne became the 25th Australian bowler to capture 700 or more wickets in first-class cricket. Playing in his 169th match of his career Warne now has exactly 700 wickets (avg. 26.29) to his credit since making his first-class debut in 1990-91.

Warne also finally managed a five-plus wicket haul on Indian soil. His previous best figures were 4-85 at Chennai in the first Test match during the last tour in 1997-98. His best figures before this effort in the Indian sub-continent was the 6-136 against Pakistan in the Karachi Test match at Lahore in 1994-95. His 7-56 were now the third best figures by an Australian bowler on Indian soil.

Among Australian bowlers only off-spinner Ashley Mallett (7-38) against Central Zone in 1969-70 and fast bowler Ray Lindwall (7-43) in the Test match at the Corporation Stadium, Madras during the 1956-57 series have better figures than Warne.

Five-plus wicket hauls by Australian bowlers on Indian soil (excluding Test matches) are listed below:

7-38 Ashley Mallett v Central Zone at Jaipur in 1969-70
7-56 Shane Warne v Mumbai at Mumbai (BS) in 2000-01
6-63 Eric Freeman v North Zone at Jullundur in 1969-70
6-68 Mark Waugh v Board Presdent's XI at Patiala in 1996-97
5-23 John Gleeson v East Zone at Guwhati in 1969-70
5-33 Alan Hurst v North Zone at Srinagar in 1979-80
5-37 Ashley Mallett v East Zone at Guwhati in 1969-70
5-71 Peter Sleep v Central Zone at Nagpur in 1979-80

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