Another landmark for Murali
Mohandas Menon
Sri Lankan off-spinner Muthiah Muralitharan became the 12th bowler in Test cricket history to claim 350 wickets when he captured the last wicket of Mohammad Sharif in the recently concluded Asian Test Championship Test match at Colombo against Bangladesh on September 8, 2001. By achieving this landmark in just 66 matches he became the quickest to do so in least Test matches. The previous record was held by New Zealand pace bowler Richard Hadlee, who achieved his in 69 matches in 1986-87.
Interestingly, although Murali needed the least number of matches, he took as many as 21633 balls (S/r 61.81) to take his 350th wicket. This places him in the number 11th position just above Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne (22419 balls in 80 Tests; S/r 64.05). West Indian fast bowler late Malcolm Marshall needed just 16340 balls (S/r 46.42) to take his landmark in his 75th Test in 1990-91, followed by Australian Glenn McGrath who needed 17581 balls (S/r 50.23) in 74 matches during the recent Ashes Test match at Leeds.
Meanwhile Murali's second five-wicket haul in the match was his 28th of his career, which moves him to the second position among bowlers with maximum five-wicket hauls in Tests. He went ahead of Englishman Ian Botham who had 27 such hauls. Now only Richard Hadlee (36) has more five-wicket hauls than Murali.
Murali by taking five wickets in the first innings against Bangladesh became the first bowler in Test cricket history to achieve this feat against nine of the Test playing opponents. India's Anil Kumble has done so against eight separate countries, without having played in any Tests against Bangladesh.
Further, the match haul of ten wickets by Murali was his seventh of his career. He now joins Englishman Syd Barnes, Australians Clarrie Grimmett and Dennis Lillee in the second position with maximum 10-wicket hauls in a match in Test cricket history. Only Hadlee (9) has more such hauls.
Murali's bowling career summary against each opponent
