Thaindian News

Galle (Sri Lanka), July 22 (IANS) Muttiah Muralitharan, who retired from Test cricket Thursday after claiming his 800th wicket, is the only bowler to capture 75 wickets or more in a calendar year three times.
In fact, he came close to claiming 100 wickets in 2006 when he feel short by 10.

In 2001, he took 80 wickets and a year earlier, he had 75.

In 133 matches, Murali has 800 wickets at an average of 22.72. He has taken 10 wickets in a match an astonishing 22 times and five wickets in an innings 67 times — the most by any bowler.

Highlights

* He has captured 166 wickets at Colombo, SSC, 117 wickets at Kandy and 111 wickets at Galle. No other bowler has captured 100 wickets at one ground.

* He is the only bowler to take 100 wickets against India - 105 at an average of 32.61 in 22 Tests.

* He is the second bowler after Shane Warne to capture 100 Test wickets or more against three countries.

* He is the fastest to reach 400 wickets, (72 Tests), 500 wickets (87 Tests), 600 wickets (101 Tests), 700 wickets (113 Tests).

* His tally of 67 instances of five wickets in an innings is a record.

* His tally of 10 wickets in a Test match 22 times is also a record.

* He has won 11 the Player of the Series awards, the most by any player.

* His tally of 19 Man of the Match awards is also a Sri Lankan record.

* He is the first bowler to take five wickets in an innings against all the other nine Test playing nations.

* He captured nine wickets in an innings twice - 9 for 51 (career best) vs. Zimbabwe at Kandy in 2002 and 9 for 65 against England at The Oval in 1998.

* Twice in his career, he has claimed 10 wickets in a Test match in four Tests in succession - in 2001 & 2006.

* His match figures of 16 for 220 (career-best) are the best for Sri Lanka in Tests.

* He also holds the record for most wickets taken ‘bowled’ - 167.

* He jointly holds the record for most ‘caught and bowled’ dismissals - 35 - with Anil Kumble.

* He holds the record for most wickets taken ’stumped’ - 47.