Muralitharan wants 600 Test wickets

Sri Lanka's leading bowler Muttiah Muralitharan has his sights set on claiming 600 Test wickets, but still believes Australian Shane Warne is the world's best spinner.

The 30-year-old off-spinner is currently in Melbourne receiving treatment from leading Australian surgeon David Young on a shoulder injury he sustained while fielding in the Sharjah Cup earlier this month.

"I would like 600 wickets, that's about another 180," Muralitharan told reporters on Thursday.

"It's hard to take wickets. It depends on how good you play because sometimes you can drop down, or you can do well. It depends on how you do."

Muralitharan recently became the youngest player to take 400 Test wickets but said the difficulty associated with bowling leg-spin meant that Warne was still the best.

"I think he is the greatest spinner because wrist spin is very hard to bowl. It's difficult to control the ball," he said.

Both Muralitharan (412) and Warne (450) are closing in on West Indian Courtney Walsh's record of 519 Test wickets.

Muralitharan's shoulder injury means he is likely to miss much of Sri Lanka's forthcoming tour of England.

Mail Cricket Editor