Master spinner Muttiah Muralitharan equalled the world record for career Test wickets on Thursday as Sri Lanka took full control of the first Test against a strife-torn Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club.
Murali reached 519 wickets to go level with the now-retired West Indies paceman Courtney Walsh and there will be many more to come for the 32-year-old who will be looking to take sole possession of the record when the home side bat in their second innings.
PHOTO: AFP
Muralitharan also surpassed the 517 achieved so far by Australian leg spinner Shane Warne who is now destined to be locked in a battle with the Sri Lankan over the coming years for the top spot.
Thursday's performance was Muralitharan's 44th haul of five wickets or more in a Test innings.
"I bowled well because the wicket here was not turning very much," said Muralitharan.
"But the batsmen are very inexperienced and I think that helped me."
Murali had to wait until after lunch to strike his first blow when he trapped Alester Maregwede lbw for nought with Mluleki Nkala falling for just two also leg before.
Skipper Tatenda Taibu, the youngest ever international captain at just 19, following the refusal of Heath Streak and his fellow white rebels to play for the team, was victim number three.
He made 40 before being caught by Mahela Jayawardene close in while Blessing Mahwire was bowled off the last ball of the same over for nought.
Muralitharan's fifth wicket of the day came when Prosper Utseya was bowled for 45 which paved the way for the record-equalling wicket of Douglas Hondo who was bowled for 19.
At close of play Zimbabwe, with five new caps and only one white player, were 199 all out and Sri Lanka in reply were 67-0, a deficit of 132 with all wickets intact.
Zimbabwe had gone into the match split by a player revolt which had seen former skipper Streak and other leading white players refuse to be considered for selection after demanding changes be made to the running of the game in the country.
As a result, Taibu took charge to become the youngest international skipper in the history of the game.
But it was a baptism of fire for the teenager.
Put into bat by Marvan Atapattu, Zimbabwe's effective second string were soon in trouble.
After a determined partnership of 30 for the first wicket between Brendan Taylor and Stuart Matsikenyere, four home wickets fell before the lunch interval.
The damage was mainly inflicted by Nuwan Zoysa, who snatched three for 53. Before the afternoon session got under way he stood at 3-16.
That session belonged solely to Muralitharan.
He had the Zimbabwean middle and lower order batsmen in his headlights and they succumbed to his deceptions, at least until the closing stages.
Taibu made a fighting 40 and Prosper Utseya contributed a confident 45.
Zimbabwe were in a desperate position at 118-8 but a last-wicket partnership of 50 saw them through to 199.
Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya put together an untroubled 67 in reply and they would resume play on the second day yesterday.
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