Wickets in Test cricket is not an easy feat, it is all a result of hard work and perseverance. Over the years, the conditions in cricket have undergone a radical shift and the rules have tilted more in favour of the batsmen and this has made things even more tough for the bowlers.
The pitches too have flattened out and the bowlers have had to toil real hard to prize out the wickets. Thus, the bowlers who top the list as the leading wicket-takers deserve all the accolades that come their way. They are legends in every which way, and their wickets need special reckoning.
Here in this list, we take a look at the final wickets of the top 5 wicket-takers in cricket, and it is our tribute to these stalwarts.
#5 Courtney Walsh (Allan Donald 2001)
A man of tremendous spirit and a lion heart, Courtney Walsh could run in and keep bowling fast all day. And he could bowl all right. He was a workhorse at the beginning of his career and then gradually became the leader of the attack. He had the ability to hit the length and then move the ball just enough to torment the batsmen.
The Jamaican fast bowler had a very economical action and was the man to breach Kapil Dev's record of 434 wickets in Test cricket. He went on to pick 519 Test wickets and was the leading wicket for quite some time.
In his final Test match, he picked up 6 wickets against South Africa at Jamaica and helped West Indies win the match by 130 runs. Fittingly, he ended his career with the wicket of Allan Donald when he cleaned him up with an absolute beauty.
#4 Glenn McGrath (James Anderson 2007)
Is Glenn McGrath the greatest ever fast bowler from Australia, this debate has raged on for quite some time now. Many believe that he is, many vouch for Jeff Thomson. Whatever be the argument, there is little doubt that the lanky New South Welshman was one of the match-winners for Australia.
His line and length were so immaculate that he could land that ball on a coin on a length and then could move it just so much to dismiss the batsmen. He was a nemesis for the England team and his record against them is a testament to his effectiveness.
Thus it was quite fitting that he played his last match against England during the 2007 Ashes and his last wicket was that of James Anderson. The stage was set for him, as he wrapped up the England innings at Sydney Cricket Ground and in the process Australia won the series 5-0.
#3 Anil Kumble (Mitchell Johnson 2008)
Anil Kumble was a fighter on and off the field and left everything on the cricket field. The sight of him bowling with a broken jaw is one for the ages.
And then he suddenly called it a day on his favourite ground, the Feroz Shah Kotla, during the 2008 series against Australia. But then he will always be one of all time greatest to come from India, and his indomitable spirit will forever be part of the folklore.
He ended his 18-year Test career when he captained the Indian team to a draw in Delhi, and then handed the reins to Mahendra Singh Dhoni. He suffered a finger injury and this prompted him to make this decisive call.
He picked up 3 wickets in the first innings and his final wicket was that of Mitchell Johnson when he sprinted across to take a return catch and helped India to dismiss the Australians. He was carried all over the Kotla, a ground on which he took 10 wickets in one innings against Pakistan.
A fitting end to a glorious career!
#2 Shane Warne (Andrew Flintoff 2007)
Shane Keith Warne, a man, a maverick, a genius. He transformed leg spin from just a form of bowling to an art, and by the time he ended his career, he had etched his legend all over the game.
With his bag of tricks and a sharp cricketing mind, Warne picked up 708 wickets in his career. If the ball was in Warne's hand the game was full of excitement. Like Glenn McGrath, he saved his best for England, and after having started off his Ashes career with that magical ball to Mike Gatting, he ended his career with another Ashes win in 2007 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
His final wicket was Andrew Flintoff, and he did it with a ripping leg-break. The ball was tossed up on off stump, Flintoff tried to reach for it, but was beaten with the drift and turn and was stumped.
A fizzing leg-break to end a remarkable career.
#1 Muttiah Muralitharan (Pragyan Ojha 2010)
Sri Lanka is known to produce unique talents, none so more than Muttiah Muralitharan, who dodged all controversies, all the cynicism and all the hullabaloo to pick up 800 wickets in Test cricket.
His final wicket was that of Pragyan Ojha when he invited the left-hander to come forward, the ball turned, kissed the outside edge and nestled nicely with Mahela Jayawardene at first slip. He took this wicket after the last wicket pair had frustrated the hosts for almost 15 overs. This was the 800th Test wicket of the wizard too.
Sri Lanka went on to win the match by 10 wickets, and Muttiah Muralitharan called it a day.
Brand-new app in a brand-new avatar! Download Cric Rocket for fast cricket scores, rocket flicks, super notifications and much more!
