Muralitharan’s luckiest test wicket ever

Such is the class of the man with the highest wickets in tests, that when the spin maestro Muttiah Muralitharan takes a wicket, most of us expect a brilliant delivery about which the batsman has no clue.

The wicket I am going to tell you about though, is a great example of “Luck favours the brave”.  It was the third test of the 3 match series between England and Sri Lanka held at Trent Bridge, Nottingham in June 2006. Sri Lanka batted first and could only score 231. In response the hosts got bowled out on 229 giving the Lankans a lead of just 2. Sri Lanka scored big in the second innings scoring 322 runs. In reply, England were 125 for 5 with Paul Collingwood on strike. Facing Muralitharan, one of his deliveries stayed low, took the bottom half of the bat and ricocheted off the boot of Collingwood. Dilshan took a sharp catch and Paul Collingwood got out giving Muralidharan his luckiest wicket ever.

Sri Lanka won that match by 134 runs and Muralitharan was awarded the man of the match award for his 11 wickets and 35 runs with the bat in the match.