Beware of Murali: Benaud

Former Australian captain Richard Benaud does not feel that the new world number one Test wicket-taker Shane Warne is safe in his position.

"Beware of Murali", is the caution word from one of the cricketing heroes of yesteryears as he genuinely feels the Sri Lankan offie would challenge the Aussie.

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But Benaud does not give a chance to other bowlers to cross the magic 500-wicket mark in the near future as Glenn McGrath (446 wickets) and Anil Kumble (409) are way behind and are not growing any younger.

"I can't really believe anyone else will realistically reach the 500 mark," he was quoted as saying in Melbourne Herald Sun today.

Murali has had a shoulder operation similar to the one Warne had and he would come back fully fit, he added.

Hailing the way Warne claimed the top slot, he said the dismissal of Irfan Pathan by a first slip catch by Matthew Hayden was a fitting way to claim the record.

"It was a beautiful ball. It's always nice if you're going to do something like that to do it with a good delivery," Benaud said.

"That was close to perfect. It drifted away in the air and found the edge." Former Australian captain Allan Border said the record breaking moment must have come as a relief to Warne.

"When you finally achieve it, it's as much relief as excitement. That's the way I felt," said Border, who watched on television as Warne claimed his 533rd wicket.

Border said he had experienced the same emotions before he became Test cricket's leading run-scorer in New Zealand in early 1993.

Recalling Warne's debut against India in 1992 where he ended with figures of 1-150, Border said, "The figures weren't great but behind the scenes, we felt we had someone special and it was worth persevering."

Warne's coach Terry Jenner who was ecstatic at his disciple's world record feat, told Western Mail, "it's a reward for Shane, for what has been a magnificent service to spin bowling.

"The fact that Shane's arrived at the front and is going to stay there for may be two months is a great reward and he deserves it," he said.

Jenner was also happy that two spinners are now at the top.

"I think the highlight for us in the spin bowlers' union is to see two spin bowlers at number one and two."

Warne's agent Jason Warne described the record as a "terrific achievement" and warned the rest of the cricket world to expect more from the same for a few more years to come.