After becoming only the second bowler in international cricket to take 500 one-day wickets and help his team thrash Pakistan in the third ODI, Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan on Saturday warned Indian batsmen of a tough challenge when they visit Sri Lanka next week.
Tillakaratne Dilshan blasted a career-best unbeaten 137 while Muttiah Muralitharan grabbed his 500th ODI wicket as Sri Lanka bulldozed Pakistan by 235 runs to win the three-match cricket series 2-1 in Lahore on Saturday.
The 34-year-old debuted for England in 2007 at Colombo with Chaminda Vaas his first, and only, wicket in that Test at a cost of 95 runs and logged his best figures of 8-15 when he rampaged through the Australians at Trent Bridge in the Ashes five years ago.
Rajneesh Gupta presents all the interesting numbers from Day 4 of the India-England Test at Trent Bridge.
Muralitharan had consulted lawyers on taking action against Bedi for writing degrading articles questioning his bowling action.
Dammika Prasad struck two decisive blows before Muttiah Muralitharan completed a 10-wicket haul to kill off Bangladesh's hopes of an unlikely record run chase as Sri Lanka won the first test by 107 runs on Wednesday.
Skipper Mohammad Ashraful hit an unbeaten half-century as Bangladesh batted defiantly in pursuit of a massive victory target in the first test against Sri Lanka at Mirpur on Tuesday.
The Sri Lankan off-spinner said he will boycott the tour because of comments made by Australian prime minister John Howard about his bowling action.
Since being called for throwing in 1995, the Sri Lankan off spinner has averaged an incredible 6.65 wickets in 66 Tests.
The Sri Lanka spinner could be banned for up to 12 months if he continues to bowl his doosra because his action exceeds official guidelines.
Zimbabwe captain Prosper Utseya believes Sri Lanka's new mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis could be a bigger threat than veteran Muttiah Muralitharan in their five-match one-day series starting on Thursday. Zimbabwe, struggling to stay afloat against a background of political turmoil, have not hosted an international side since West Indies won a five-match series 3-1 last December.
A look at the leading wicket-takers in Test cricket after Australian Shane Warne passed the 500 mark against Sri Lanka.
India captain Anil Kumble retired from international cricket after the third Test against Australia at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi on Sunday. The 38-year-old is Test cricket's third highest wicket-taker with 619 wickets in 132 Tests, trailing only Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and Australia's retired Shane Warne.
Australian fans showed no let up in their hostility towards Muttiah Muralitharan and a group of fans threw an egg on the Sri Lankan.
Playing in his 124th Test, the 37-year-old became the first Indian and the third bowler overall to complete the feat.
Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan claimed 4-30 to equal Shane Warne's world record for the most test wickets on the second day of the first Test against England on Sunday. Muralitharan ripped through England's top order after lunch to reduce the tourists to 186 for six shortly before tea when rain washed out play for the day.
'I must say hats off to him. He is a great bowler, great guy to be with,' said the India off-spinner while congratulating the Sri Lankan on equaling the world record tally of 708 Test wickets.
After criticising Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan as a 'chucker', India's former left-arm spinner Bishan Singh Bedi has trained his gun at compatriot Harbhajan Singh, saying "he is no different".
South Africa's Dale Steyn climbed to third in the International Cricket Council Test bowling rankings following his match-winning performances against New Zealand. The 24-year-old fast bowler took 20 wickets in his team's 2-0 series win over New Zealand, moving up five spots to lie just behind team mate Makhaya Ntini in the rankings.
He has undergone private tests to prove his bowling action is legal after receiving a hostile reception from Australian crowds.
The Sri Lankan off-spinner will be given an unofficial reprimand for gesturing at a spectator.
Muttiah Muralitharan said the tsunami match had helped him forget his bitter experience with the crowds.
The Sri Lankan off-spinner can expect a warm welcome from Australian crowds next month, Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said.
With the humiliating loss in Colombo still rankling the Indian cricket team, Indian opener Gautam Gambhir on Monday asserted that the visitors will find a way to tackle the menacing spin duo of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis in the second cricket Test starting July 31 in Galle.
Spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis bowled Sri Lanka to an innings and 239-run victory in the first Test against India on Saturday.
With the famed Indian batting order's reputation in tatters, a dejected India captain Anil Kumble on Saturday said his side will have to find ways to take on the Lankan spin duo of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis if they have to come back in the second Test. Muralitharan and debutant Mendis shared 19 wickets between them to hand the Indians a humiliating innings and 239-run defeat in the first Test.
Sri Lankan cricket board announced that it had cleared seven players to play in the Indian Premier League.
Sri Lanka picked a four-man pace attack with all rounder Farveez Maharoof taking the place of injured spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.
Ace Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan says Sachin Tendulkar is legend of cricket, but getting the 171 runs he needs to better Brian Lara's record on the tour of Sri Lanka won't be easy.
The 35-year-old off-spinner was ruled out of the tournament after straining his bicep while playing in English county cricket.
Muttiah Muralitharan became the second player to claim 700 Test wickets in guiding Sri Lanka to an innings and 193-run victory over Bangladesh in the third and final match of their series on Saturday.
Bangladesh slumped to an innings and 234 run defeat in the first Test with Muttiah Muralitharan claiming a match haul of nine for 102.
After dismissing Bangladesh for a paltry 89, Sri Lanka amassed 227 for three by close on Day 1 of the first Test.
Virat Kohli is the second fastest behind Don Bradman to score 25 Test hundreds, notes Rajneesh Gupta.
A patient century from Thilan Samaraweera helped Sri Lanka recover to 268 all out at the close of play on the third day of the second Test on Saturday, setting West Indies a victory target of 253. The tourists were reeling at 99 for six but a seventh-wicket stand of 138 between Samaraweera (125) and Chaminda Vaas (45) hauled Sri Lanka back into the game
Sri Lanka clawed their way back into the second Test on Friday, snapping up six West Indies wickets in the final session. The home team was 268 for 7 at close on the second day, having gone into tea in complete command on 133 for 1 in reply to Sri Lanka's 278 all out.
West Indies were 269 for nine, needing seven runs to save follow-on, at the end of the third day of the first Test against Sri Lanka.
The withdrawal of top players is a big setback for the tournament even before it could start.
The highest Test wicket-taker was escorted by motorcade to the Sri Lanka Cricket Board headquarters.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse said he will do everything within his power and that of the government to defend the off spinner.
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