CAIRNS, Australia, 14 July 2004 — Australia’s Shane Warne took a world record-equaling 527th wicket yesterday but Sri Lanka held on to draw the second Test.
The Lankans reached 183 for eight at the close after Australia had set them 355 to win.
Warne took three for 129 and four for 70 after starting the game needing seven wickets to equal Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan’s world mark of 527.
Warne’s 527th wicket came via third umpire Bob Parry when the leg spinner had Upul Chandana stumped for 14 at 174 for eight.
With a small crowd of just under 1,700 cheering on Warne’s every move, tail-enders Chaminda Vaas (11 not out) and Nuwan Zoysa (three not out) defied the Australians for 30 nervous minutes. The draw meant Australia won the two-match series 1-0.
“Look I’m proud of myself to equal the record,” Warne said.
“The wickets I have always played on for my whole career, most of them have been to suit fast bowlers in Australia.
“It would have been nice to get one or two ahead of him and to win the test match would have been the perfect script I suppose.”
Captain Ricky Ponting said: “We’re probably all a little bit disappointed for him now that he hasn’t actually broken it.
“But what a fantastic effort it is to be a joint world record holder.”
Warne returned to Test action only in March after a 12-month ban for testing positive for a banned diuretic. The 34-year-old Warne, who bowled 37 overs in the second innings, struck in the second over after lunch when he had opener Sanath Jayasuriya caught behind for 22 at 49 for two.
Mahela Jayawardene was caught behind off the bowling of Glenn McGrath for six at 58 for three and Thilan Samaraweera was run out for a duck six runs later. Kumar Sangakkara put on a defiant stand of 43 for the fifth wicket with Tillakaratne Dilshan, who fell on the final ball before tea for 21, caught at first slip by Warne off the bowling of Jason Gillespie to make it 107 for five.
Warne then removed wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana for 14 at 136 for six, caught at short leg, as Sri Lanka defended grimly with no hope of victory.
Sangakkara’s 264-minute stay at the crease ended when Warne took his third wicket of the innings, bowling the left-hander for 66 including eight boundaries off 173 balls.
Warne then removed Chandana but despite having all the fielders crowded around the bat another wicket eluded him.
Earlier, player of the series Matthew Hayden blasted his second century of the match to guide Australia to 292 for nine declared after beginning the day on 194-2.
Hayden made 132 off 171 balls with 10 fours and one six before he was bowled by Chandana who took five for 101 — his second five-wicket haul of the match and the third of his 12-Test career. Hayden was recording his 20th hundred in his 55th Test. He also passed the milestone of 5,000 Test runs when he reached 75.
Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu said: “The way we came back from when they were 370 for two at the end of the first day, this (draw) is not a bad result at all.”
Ponting said he was happy with his declaration yesterday morning, which left 85 overs to be bowled.
