E-Paper
The Aussie takes the lead... for the moment
Shane Warne and Muthiah Muralitharan will both cherish the year 2004 for different reasons. It was, in many way, race against each other. But for the moment Warne is set to maintain lead.
Shane Warne and Muthiah Muralitharan will both cherish the year 2004 for different reasons. It was, in many way, race against each other, with each trying to outdo the other vis-a-vis records. But for the moment Warne is ahead of Muralitharan.
Take a look at their acheivements this year - they both crossed the magical 500-wicket mark. Both did during the Australia - Sri Lanka series in March 2004. Warne in the first Test on March 12, 2004 claiming the wicket of Hashan Tillakaratne while Murali followed up in the second Test in Kandy on March 16, 2004 claing the wicket of Michael Kasprowicz.
Both raced against each other in chasing yet another record - crossing the highest Test wicket record, 519, held till recently by the former West Indian Courtney Walsh. Muralitharan achieved the feat against Zimbabwe in May 2004.
Finally, the two competed against each other to be the highest wicket-taker in the history of Test cricket. And by the end of 2004, Shane Warne is all set to take the title for the time being as he surpassed Murali in Test history. His tally stands at 555 wickets.
Take a look at the seesaw between the two.
Chennai, October 15: Shane Warne gets rid of Irfan Pathan to be the highest Test wicket-taker with 533 wickets to his credit in the second Test against India.
Chennai, October 14: Warne equalled Murali's record of 532 wickets as he dismissed Yuvraj Singh in the first innings of the second Test against India.
Galle, August 6: Spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan regains the title of Test cricket's highest wicket-taker. He moved ahead of Warne claiming 532 wickets in the Sri Lanka - South Africa Tests.
Cairns, July 13: Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne equalled Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan's world wicket-taking record of 527 Test wickets till then Murali was the highest wicket-taker. He did it in the second cricket Test against Sri Lanka in Cairns.
Off the field too, the two share a strange bond - both seems wedded to controversy.
Leg-spinner Shane Warne returned in March 2004 after a 12-month suspension for forbidden diuretics.
Warne is a classic example of a flawed genius, irrepressible and gifted but with controversy as his middle name. Be it his implication in sex scandals, betting rackets or drug ban.
When Shane Warne finished bowling in his maiden Test against India at home in 1992, there were few clues that he would become the first spinner to bag 500 wickets. His Test debut was a disaster.
