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Four ten-fors in a row
Wisden CricInfo staff - November 25, 2001
Rob Smyth rounds up the Kandy highlights
Sunday, November 25, 2001
Muttiah Muralitharan's match figures of 10 for 135 were his fourth ten-for in four Tests, a feat which has never been achieved before. In fact, only Australia's Clarrie Grimmett has ever taken three successive Test ten-fors (in South Africa in 1935-36), though Sydney Barnes did take six in 10 matches between 1912 and 1914.
In his last four Tests Muralitharan has taken 42 wickets at an average of 14.57. He took 11 for 196 against India at the SSC in Colombo, 10 for 111 against Bangladesh on the same ground (both in September), 11 for 170 in the first Test against West Indies at Galle, and 10 for 135 in this match. Of those 42 wickets, a third (14) were out bowled and a further 10 lbw.
This was also Muralitharan's ninth Test ten-for, equalling Richard Hadlee's world record. But whereas Hadlee played 86 Tests, this was Murali's 68th. Murali's second-innings 6 for 81 was his 31st five-wicket haul in Tests, second only to Hadlee (36) on the alltime list.
Murali has moved above Imran Khan (362) and up to ninth on the all-time Test wickettakers list. He now has 371 wickets, and is poised to move above Malcolm Marshall (376) and Ian Botham (383).
This victory sealed Sri Lanka's first series victory over West Indies. They drew a one-off Test in 1993-94, and lost a two-match series 1-0 in West Indies in 1996-97.
It was also Sri Lanka's fourth Test win in a row, the best run in their history. They beat India and Bangladesh in Colombo in September, before defeating West Indies at Galle and in this match. Sri Lanka have only once previously won three Tests in a row, against New Zealand and England in 1997-98.
Sri Lanka also ended a run of three consecutive defeats in Kandy Tests. They lost here to South Africa, England (both in 2000-01) and India (2001).
This defeat was West Indies' 20th in 24 overseas Tests, a run that started in Pakistan in 1997-98. If they lose the third Test in Colombo they will have been been whitewashed in five of their last seven overseas Test series.
The partnership of 59 between Marlon Samuels and Mervyn Dillon was a new record for the seventh wicket in Tests between West Indies and Sri Lanka. Pubudu Dassanayeke and Ruwan Kalpage held the previous record: 51 in the one-off Test at Moratuwa in 1993-94.
Sanath Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu added 89 in the second innings, a record for Sri Lanka's first wicket in Tests against West Indies. It surpasses the 62 Jayasuriya added with Roshan Mahanama in the second Test at Arnos Vale in 1996-97.
Mahela Jayawardene and Hashan Tillekeratne added 116 for the fifth wicket in the first innings, a new record for Sri Lanka against West Indies. The previous-best was 110, between Jayasuriya and Arjuna Ranatunga in the first Test in Antigua in 1996-97.
Pedro Collins took 4 for 78 in the first innings, his best bowling figures in Tests. His previous-best was 3 for 79, against Australia at Kingston in 1998-99. Collins is playing in his fifth Test.
© Wisden CricInfo Ltd
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