GALLE : Muttiah Muralitharan became the first bowler to take 800 test wickets, reaching the milestone with the last ball of his career in the longest form of cricket and helping Sri Lanka into a winning position against India.
The 38-year-old offspinner had Pragyan Ojha caught at slip by Mahela Jayawardene at Galle International Stadium on Thursday, slowly building pressure on the Indian tailender with four fielders around the bat.
The wicket was the last to fall in India's second innings, meaning Sri Lanka needed only 95 runs to win with more than a session of play remaining.
Muralitharan needed eight wickets in his final test to reach the 800 mark. After a five-wicket haul in the first innings, and one in the second innings on Wednesday, he claimed Harbhajan Singh early on Thursday before a long wait for his last.
A controversial figure since his unorthodox bowling action was called into question in 1995, Muralitharan has endured to become the most prolific bowler in the sport, by a long way.
Only one other man has taken more than 619 test wickets- retired Australian legspinner Shane Warne once held the world record for most test wickets at 709.
Before the match, Muralitharan admitted to having some nerves but nothing more than he'd weathered in the past.
"There is a little extra pressure on me, it being my last game, but playing under pressure is not new for me and I am just keen to go out there and enjoy myself," he said in a pre-match interview. "It would be nice to take 800 wickets."
He certainly made the most of the occasion.
Muralitharan was hoisted onto the shoulders of his teammates and carried from the field after dismissing Ojha as the Sri Lankans celebrated for him.
He held up the match ball to the crowd to acknowlege the cheers.
President Mahinda Rajapakshe was present behind bulletproof glass at Galle cricket ground to watch Muralitharan play his swansong Test.
Muralitharan's parents and wife sat in the stands and cheered as he snapped up Harbhajan Singh's wicket (his 799th) by making him lbw.
Large cutouts of Muralitharan, with the Sri Lankan flags fluttering in abundance and a band party in tow, greeted the spectators as the match progressed and Murailtharan sweated out to achieve the feat.
With Sri Lankan fielders closing in and the unlucky VVS Laxman out of the way because of a runout at 69, Muralitharan's 800th Test victim was Pragyan Ojha.
So far, the World's Top Seven Test Wicket Takers are:
Muthiah Muralitharan 800
Shane Warne 708
Anil Kumble 619
Glenn McGrath 563
Walsh 519
Kapil Dev 434
Richard Hadlee 431
