November 23 Saturday 2002
Warne overtakes Harbhajan as top wicket-taker of the year

ADELAIDE: Shane Warne has overtaken Harbhajan Singh as the leading wicket-taker in Test cricket this year. Warne claimed 4-93 in England's first innings of the second Ashes Test here on Friday to move to 485 career Test wickets.

The 33-year-old champion legspinner now leads all Test bowlers in 2002 with 61 wickets in nine matches, ahead of fellow spinners, India's Singh (58 in 11) and Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan (55 in eight). Warne has been the leading bowler in three of the last nine years - taking 70 wickets in 1993, followed by 72 in 1994 and 68 in 1997.

With the chance to bowl in another five Test innings against England before the end of the year Warne has the opportunity of surpassing those bests of recent years.

He is taking a wicket every 41 deliveries this year, well ahead of Harbhajan (57) and Muralitharan (73), and his average of 19.21 remains outstanding for a spinner. Retired West Indian fast bowler Courtney Walsh holds the world record for most Test wickets with 519 in 132 Tests.