Muttiah Muralitharan dismissed reports that a finger injury would keep him out of this weekend's third Test against Zimbabwe at Galle - and said that if Sri Lanka could improve their performances away from home then they would be the best side in the world. "I think I bowled pretty well," said Murali, who took 13 wickets in the match including 9 for 51 in the first innings. "My finger did not trouble me. Zimbabwe were cautious and trying not to give me wickets. If I can bowl here, I do not see any reason why I cannot play the third Test."

The win was Sri Lanka's seventh in succession, all of them on home soil, a record which Murali reckons leaves them vying with Australia as the best side in the world. "I think we are the best along with Australia in home conditions," he said. "But we have to prove ourselves abroad. If we win overseas, then we are not second to Australia."

Sri Lanka's captain, Sanath Jayasuriya, singled out the performance of Charitha Buddika as having given him the most satisfaction. "Buddika bowled well throughout the second innings with Muralitharan. He can reverse-swing the old ball and this is what he did today. We have now found a good allrounder."

There was little that Zimbabwe's captain Stuart Carlisle could take by way of consolation. "It was very disappointing," he said. "There were a couple of careless shots, but I think we were a bit too tentative and sometimes negative. It is not easy to play in Sri Lanka where they are extremely hard to beat as they prepare pitches to suit Muralitharan."

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