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Warne targets Walsh's record

March 20, 2004 16:29 IST

Australia leg spinner Shane Warne believes he can overhaul Courtney Walsh's world record of 519 wickets during the third and final Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo next week.

Warne spun Australia to a series-clinching 27-run victory over Sri Lanka in Kandy on Saturday, with match figures of 10 for 155 lifting his career tally to 511.

"Before the Galle (first) Test, I didn't really think about it, but...if I bowl as well as I bowled in this one and it's a turning wicket, then I suppose there is a chance," the 34-year-old Warne told reporters.

"It is definitely on my mind but, if it doesn't happen, I will still be happy if we win and I take a few wickets along the way."

In the two Tests he has played since returning to the team after a 12-month drugs ban, Warne has snapped up 20 wickets at an average of 15.7.

"I couldn't have asked it to go any better but I suppose it is a credit to me for working as hard as I have over the last six weeks, on fitness and on my bowling, batting and catching," he said.

"I don't think I could have bowled much better than I have in the last couple of Test matches."

Warne admitted he had felt a little anxious on Saturday morning, when Sri Lanka resumed their second innings needing a further 51 runs for victory with three wickets in hand.

"I thought it was a great Test match, and I thought they showed a lot of courage to come out and play the way they did," he said.

"For us to be bowled out for 120 and then come back and win the Test was a great result.

"I thought it was a 50-50 game with the way the outfield was and the way they bat. They can all hit and are not tailenders that just hang around and block.

"A couple of bad balls and overs, a few nicks here and there and they would have got the runs. But I had a plan this morning, which I chatted about with (captain) Ricky Ponting, and I suppose that worked.


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