MUTTIAH Muralitharan became the second man to take 600 Test wickets yesterday in Bogra and is again setting the pace in his pursuit of Shane Warne, who is 59 ahead. The Sri Lanka off spinner reached the mark against Bangladesh, fuelling the debate over the difference in the quality of some of his victims in comparison to Warne.

Muralitharan beat Warne to 500 wickets, but fell behind the Australia leg spinner because of a shoulder injury. He claimed the two wickets he needed to reach the latest milestone on the third day of the second Test.

Warne, 36, is three years older than Muralitharan, who suggested yesterday that he would eventually take the record. The Sri Lankan is the only player to take more than 1,000 wickets in international cricket, combining Tests and one-day internationals.

“I think he [Warne] is the No 1 bowler and he has proved it by taking 650-odd wickets,” Muralitharan, who was playing in his 101st Test, said. “It is hard to catch him, but he is older than me. Who will play the longer will have the record.”

Khaled Mashud had the distinction of becoming Muralitharan’s 600th Test wicket when he was caught at square leg for six. That wicket also made Muralitharan the only bowler to claim 50 wickets against each of the Test-playing nations. In these two Tests against Bangladesh, Muralitharan has taken 16 wickets.

Warne could be close to 700 wickets soon after three Tests in South Africa followed by two in Bangladesh. However, if he is true to form, Warne will not play against Bangladesh.

Last December, after passing Dennis Lillee’s record of 85 Test wickets in a calendar year, Warne reflected sadly that the mark would not last for long.

“I’ve never played a Test against Bangladesh and only one against Zimbabwe,” Warne said. “Some blokes bowl at one end all day against those sort of countries and take lots of wickets. I’m sure that whoever those people are, they might get it [the record] next year.”

IN A SPIN