Murali mesmerises Bangladesh again

Muttiah Muralitharan has now taken 55 wickets in 13 innings against Bangladesh. He averages 11.65 against them and has a strike-rate of just under 27

Cricinfo staff

25-Jun-2007

Muttiah Muralitharan once again picked up a bagful of wickets against Bangladesh © AFP

Bangladesh's 89 on the first day against Sri Lanka at Colombo was their third-lowest total in Tests after their 86 against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2005 and 87 against West Indies in Dhaka in 2002.

Muttiah Muralitharan picked up 5 for 15, his 58th five-for in Test cricket. Shane Warne is in second place with 37. Among current cricketers, Anil Kumble is the closest to Muralitharan with 33 five-wicket hauls.

Muralitharan has now taken 55 wickets in 13 innings against Bangladesh. He averages 11.65 against them and has a strike-rate of just under 27.

Muralitharan is the only bowler to take more than a 100 wickets at a single venue, and he now has 139 wickets at the Sinhalese Sports Club at an average of just under 21.

Malinda Warnapura made his Test debut at the age of 28 and became the third Sri Lankan to be dismissed off his first ball on debut. The other two are Susil Fernando, against New Zealand in 1983 and Chamara Kapudegera, against England at Lord's in 2006.

Muthiah Muralidaran Sri Lanka Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh Bangladesh tour of Sri Lanka