Murali reclaims world mark forTest wickets
Sri Lanka off-spinner Muttiah Muralidaran took two wickets against England on Monday to move clear at the top of the all-time list above Australian Shane Warne.
Muralidaran bowled England's Paul Collingwood for 45 shortly before lunch on the third day of the first Test, his 709th wicket sparking wild celebrations in Kandy.
Tied with Warne on 708 Test victims overnight, Muralidaran was kept at bay by the England batsmen during his first spell of the morning but struck immediately in his second, bowling Collingwood from around the wicket.
Greeted with fireworks from Sri Lankan supporters, the wicket completed Muralidaran's 61st five-wicket haul in Tests and he added another to the tally in his next over, removing Matthew Hoggard for 15.
Warne retired from Test cricket this year with 708 wickets from 145 matches while Muralidaran reached the milestone in his 116th game.
Muralidaran had previously held the world record after surpassing West Indian fast bowler Courtney Walsh (519 wickets) in 2004, but he was subsequently overtaken by Warne after suffering a shoulder injury that year.
Muralidaran holds other bowling records in Test cricket, including the most five-wicket (61) and ten-wicket hauls (20).
The 35-year-old is renowned for extracting prodigious turn from his unique rubber-wristed bowling action.
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