Muralitharan spins Sri Lanka to record win

Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan spun Sri Lanka to their biggest Test victory on Monday as the home side defeated Zimbabawe by an innings and 166 runs on the fourth day of the first Test.

Muralitharan captured four for 35 in Sri Lanka's second innings 236 to finish the year with the world's leading haul for 2001 of 80 wickets. His team extended their run of consecutive victories to six.

Despite finishing the match with eight for 88, Muralitharan was beaten for the man-of-the-match award by Kumar Sangakkara, who top-scored with 128 in Sri Lanka's first innings 586 for six declared.

Sri Lanka just managed to beat a heavy deluge 20 minutes after the end of the match which inundated the ground with pools of water. Rain also washed out nearly an hour's play shortly before tea.

None of the Zimbabwe batsmen managed to reach the half-century mark with the top score being 44 by nightwatchman Travis Friend. Former captain and pace bowler Heath Streak was the team's second highest scorer on a bland batting pitch with 36 not out.

Muralitharan took two for 19 from 12 overs as Zimbabwe slipped further towards defeat at tea, ending Friend's 176-minute vigil when he bowled him with the Zimbabwe score on 145.

Then, coming back for his third spell from the opposite end, Muralitharan had Grant Flower caught off his glove by Hashan Tillakaratne at forward short leg for 18, reducing Zimbabwe to 165 for seven.

Earlier Zimbabwe lost three important wickets, including that of Andy Flower, when they resumed at 64 for two after Sunday's rest day.

They lost their captain Stuart Carlisle (32) in the first over after the first drinks break of the day, when he attemped an ambitious cut off medium-pacer Buddhika Fernando and edged an easy catch behind the wicket to Sangakkara.

Fernando also dismissed Gavin Rennie for four when he forced him to edge a catch to Mahela Jayawardene at second slip with 12 runs added to the total. Fernando's fine morning spell was rewarded with two for 17 off six overs.

Lanky left-arm fast bowler Nuwan Zoysa picked up the prize wicket of Andy Flower for 10 shortly before lunch when he trapped him in front of the wicket with a straight ball.

The second of three Tests starts at Kandy on Friday.

Brief Scores:

Sri Lanka: 586 for 6 decl (K Sangakkara 128, T Samaraweera 123 not out, H Tillakaratne 96, S Jayasuriya 92, C Vaas 74 not out; H Streak 3-113)

Zimbabwe: 184 (A Flower 42; M Muralitharan 4-53) and 236 (T Friend 44, H Streak 36 not out, S Carlisle 32; Muralitharan 4-35).

Mail Cricket Editor