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by Sa'adi Thawfeeq

Sri Lanka's master spinner and arguably the best of his type in contemporary cricket Muttiah Muralitharan fast approaching the 400-wicket mark in Test cricket said that in home conditions Sri Lanka were the best Test playing nation alongside Australia. "We have to prove ourselves when we go to England and South Africa. If we win there then we are not second to Australia," said Muralitharan after his 13-wicket haul in the second Test against Zimbabwe at Kandy on Monday which gave him a world record of ten such match bags, one more than the previous holder New Zealand's Sir Richard Hadlee.

"We can think seriously of winning overseas because we are playing as a team. We have a good side and some fast bowlers are coming through and I think we have chances. Sri Lanka is doing very well having won seven consecutive matches and I think we must keep going with the same team," he said.

"Take Charitha (Buddhika Fernando), he is now bowling reverse swing which means he is learning a lot. All the fast bowlers are learning quickly. I think in future the bowlers won't be a problem, but they will have to perform consistently. In Sri Lankan conditions I think they are very consistent. When we tour England and South Africa we should go there very early and the Cricket Board should recommend players to go early to get used to the conditions to play well," said the master spinner who is only five wickets away from becoming only the seventh bowler in Test history to take 400 Test wickets.

"I am definitely looking forward to 400 wickets at Galle (venue of the third Test against Zimbabwe). I think I bowled pretty well here (in Kandy).

My finger didn't trouble me. If I can bowl in the second innings here I don't see any reason why I can't play in the Third Test," said Muralitharan who bowled with a finger injury to his bowling hand and took four wickets in the Zimbabwe second innings.

Muralitharan said that even during Arjuna Ranatunga's period as captain also, Sri Lanka had a great year although they didn't record as many victories in consecutive Tests. "I can't compare both teams because of different eras and the opposition was different. As a record, it's the best we have winning seven in a row.

The team spirit is friendly as it was then," he said.

"You can't say that Zimbabwe are a poor side because Sri Lanka has beaten them. We have beaten all the countries in the past two years," he said.

'We are fortunate to have Murali'

Sri Lanka coach Dav Whatmore said that nothing would stop Muralitharan from playing in the Galle Test.

"Knowing him I think he will even play on one leg," said Whatmore of his match-winning bowler.

"What more can you say that hasn't been said about an out and out champion? With each Test that comes and goes he is getting more and more wickets and maintaining his reputation," he said.

"Murali has got some terrific variations, confidence, great patience and the stamina to bowl 40 plus overs in an innings. We are very fortunate to have him," he said.

Whatmore also praised the bowling performance of Buddhika Fernando who took four key wickets to give Sri Lanka the breakthrough to beat Zimbabwe.

"Charitha was picked because we always thought he had the ability to bowl wicket to wicket at a lively pace. It was not an easy wicket for the quicks to bowl on," he said.

Whatmore said that there was a possibility of making changes for the third and final Test beginning at Galle on Saturday.

"If you want to make changes the third Test would be a better time to do it. But that decision can't be made now. Whoever plays will go into the game with a lot of confidence and will be trying to win the series three-nil," he said.

Reflecting on Sri Lanka's wonderful run in Test cricket, Whatmore said: "It's reassuring for the players and the people of Sri Lanka that we are putting some consistent performances together. In the past we had the ability to be as good as anyone but on certain days we would throw it away and lose the Test match".

"Admittedly all the wins have been in Sri Lanka. Our feet are on the ground and there are some greater examinations to come. The players know it.

"The Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka has an objective of Sri Lanka being in the top three in Test cricket and top two in the one-day game. Right now we are achieving that objective, but we know we have to maintain that position, which is the hard part," said Whatmore. 

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