Muralitharan takes 500th Test wicket

Kandy, Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan became the third bowler to accumulate 500 Test wickets when he bowled Michael Kasprowicz on Tuesday in the second cricket Test against Australia.

The 31-year-old offspinner started his 87th Test with 496 wickets after taking 11 in the loss to Australia last week.

He trapped Damien Martyn lbw before lunch, had Matthew Hayden adjudged lbw and then moved to 499 wickets when he had Jason Gillespie caught in the slips by Mahela Jawardene as Australia slumped to 100 for eight on the first day of the match.

No 10 batsman Kasprowicz played onto his stumps to make the total 106 for nine and Muralitharan leaped into the air in delight.

Retired West Indies paceman Courtney Walsh holds the record for most Test wickets, claiming 519 in 129 matches.

Australian legspinner Shane Warne took 10 wickets in the first Test in Galle last week to boost his career tally to 501 from 108 Tests. - Sapa-AP