Sri Lanka face up to life without Muralitharan
Sri Lanka face up to life without Muralitharan |
| Sri Lanka legend Muttiah Muralitharan waves to the crowd after his last Test at the Galle International Cricket Stadium on Thursday. World bowling record-holder Muralitharan retired with 800 Test wickets as Sri Lanka thumped India by 10 wickets in the first Test. PIC/AFP |
Sri Lanka entered a new cricketing era yesterday, facing an uncertain future without the legendary Muttiah Muralitharan, the world's leading wicket-taker.
Muralitharan, 38, quit Test cricket on Thursday after reaching the unprecedented 800-wicket landmark, having played a major role in a 10-wicket victory over India in Galle.
The off-spinner finished with more Test (800) and one-day (515) wickets than any bowler in history, a record that is unlikely to be surpassed in the foreseeable future.
Muralitharan was the kingpin of the Sri Lankan attack for the past 18 years, and skipper Kumar Sangakkara admitted his inspiring presence will be missed.
"I don't think anyone is going to take eight or nine wickets for us. We'll share the wickets out, do the hard work necessary and win games by bowling the unique way,"u00a0 Sangakkara said.
Before Muralitharan made his debut against Australia at home in 1992, Sri Lanka had won just two of their past 40 Tests. Since then, he figured in 54 of Sri Lanka's 59 Test wins, claiming 438 wickets in the success.
Leading the spin pack after Muralitharan will be left-armer Rangana Herath and the Ajantha Mendis, while off-spinner Suraj Randiv waits in the wings. Herath, 32, has 71 wickets from 22 Tests, while Mendis, 25, is a wicket-taker in the Muralitharan mould with 44 wickets so far in 10 matches. Both are expected to feature in the second Test against India starting at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground on Monday. "The door is open for those willing to step in," said Sangakkara. "All I can tell them is that they should be ready for a lot of hard work."
Opponents who will heave a big sigh of relief at Muralitharan's exit from Test scene... | Team | Tests | Murali's wkt haul | Avgu00a0 | Best |
| Bangladeshu00a0 | 11 | 89 | 13.37 | 6/18 |
| Englandu00a0 | 16 | 112 | 20.06 | 9/65 |
| New Zealand | u00a0 | 14 | 82 | 21.54
6/87 |
| Pakistan | 16 | 80 | 25.46 | 6/71 |
| South Africa | u00a0 | 15 | 104 | 22.22
7/84 |
| West Indiesu00a0 | 12 | 82 | 19.62 | 8/46 |
| Zimbabwe | 14 | 87 | 16.86 | 9/51 |
u00a0
