Warne and Murali put counties in a spin

CRICKET: Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan, Test cricket’s top two leading wicket-takers of all time, bowled their respective sides to victory in the English County Championship on Monday.

Hampshire captain Warne took five for 50 as Durham were bowled out for 288 in their second innings to give the hosts a 50-run win at the Rose Bowl.

The former Australia leg-spinner, who has 708 Test wickets compared to Murali’s 674, finished with match figures of 11 for 133. Sri Lanka off-spinner Muralitharan took four for 72 at Old Trafford, in a match return of eight for 145, as Lancashire beat Kent by eight wickets.

The win left Lancashire, fifth, nine points ahead of Hampshire in the Championship’s First Division. Elsewhere table-toppers Yorkshire and reigning champions Sussex played out a draw at Headingley. Sussex, set an unlikely 283 to win in a mimimum of 41 overs on Monday’s final day, finished on 47 for two.

In the day’s other First Division match Warwickshire and neighbours Worcestershire played out a draw at Edgbaston.

It was a simiilar story in the Second Division fixture between Midlands rivals Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire for whom Australia’s Simon Katich scored an unbeaten 50 on Monday. At Lord’s, England batsman Owais Shah scored 131 as Middlesex drew with Essex while rain ensured a draw between Leicestershire and Northamptonshire.

LONDON, Tuesday, AFP