|
|
Seventh heaven
Wisden CricInfo staff - January 4, 2002
Sri Lanka extended their record run to seven Test victories in a row. Their previous-best was three back-to-back against New Zealand and England in 1998. In the cureent run Sri Lanka's margins of victory have been phenomenal. They began in September 2001 with an innings victory over India in Colombo, and have added three further innings wins, two by ten wickets, and one by a mere 131 runs. And of their last ten victories, six have been by an innings, and three by ten wickets.
In the seven wins, Muttiah Muralitharan has taken 65 wickets at a average of 16.09, and has taken five or more wickets in an innings seven times, including 8 for 87 v India in Colombo, and 9 for 51 v Zimbabwe at Kandy. He has also taken ten wickets in the match on five of those occasions.
All of Sri Lanka's seven victories have come at home. Their last away success came in the second Test at Peshawar in 1999-2000.
Charitha Buddika, playing in his third match, took Test-best figures of 4 for 27 in the second innings. He had earlier contributed 45 to a partnership of 111 with Chaminda Vaas, an eighth-wicket record at Kandy.
When Muralitharan dismissed Trevor Gripper he became the first person in Test history to take 10 wickets in a match 10 times. Sir Richard Hadlee achieved the feat nine times in 86 matches. Muralitharan is playing in his 71st Test.
Muralitharan is the second man to take nine wickets in a Test innings twice, after England offspinner Jim Laker, who did it in the same game (10 for 53 and 9 for 37 v Australia at Old Trafford in 1956). Murali took 9 for 51 here to add to the 9 for 65 with which he demolished England at The Oval in 1998.
Murali was one wicket away from becoming only the third bowler in Test cricket's 1583-match history to take all ten wickets in an innings. Apart from Laker, Anil Kumble took 10 for 74 for India against Pakistan at Delhi in 1998-99.
When Murali took his second wicket in the first innings, he moved above Ian Botham (383) and up to seventh on the list of alltime Test wicket-takers. He now has 395 – next in his sights is Curtly Ambrose, who has 405.
Rob Smyth is on the staff of Wisden.com.
© Wisden CricInfo Ltd
|
|
|
