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Murali hopes to race against Warne
February 17, 2004 20:21 IST
Sri Lanka spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan hopes Australia's selectors will name leg-spinner Shane Warne in their squad for the three-match Test series between the two sides.Muralitharan wants to race with Warne, who is available for selection after a one-year drugs ban, to the historic 500 Test wicket milestone and then on to Courtney Walsh's 519 wicket world record.
The Sri Lankan, on 485 wickets from 85 matches, has closed on Warne's 491 wicket tally during the past year and both bowlers are now within striking distance of Walsh's record.
"I definitely want Shane to come to Sri Lanka and I am looking forward to the challenge," Muralitharan told Reuters on Tuesday.
Muralitharan expects his 34-year-old rival to reach the world record first but is confident that by the end of his career he will be the world's most prolific wicket-taker in the history of test cricket.
"He is a great bowler and is six wickets ahead so he should reach the record first, although I have the advantage that we have more matches coming up," he said.
After the three-Test series in Sri Lanka, Muralitharan has two test matches in Zimbabwe in April. Australia will not play again until their two-Test tour of Zimbabwe in May.
"Shane has done cricket proud during the past decade and he is a player that I greatly admire. If he reaches the record first then good on him," said 31-year-old Muralitharan.
"Even if he does get there first though I will probably have a little bit more time than him and I can break the record after that."
Muralitharan, who bowls with a controversial bent-arm action and extracts prolific spin from a super-flexible wrist, is looking forward to the challenge of testing his abilities against the world champions.
The off-spinner has averaged 5.7 wickets per Test against all opposition but only three wickets per match against Australia at a moderate 41.90 average.
However, Muralitharan believes that modest record reflects the relatively low number of Tests he has played against Australia and, now armed with an improved arm ball that fizzes away from right-handers, he expects to do well.
"This will definitely be a much tougher tour than England and it would be a great honour to do well against them," he said.
"Doing well is not guaranteed but I will do my best and I feel very happy with my form at the moment."