World record 709

I rose early yesterday morning to watch Muttiah Muralitharan take his 709th test wicket when he clean bowled Paul Collingwood, and later admitted that the ball had gone straight on when he'd expected it to turn. So it was a fluke, because Collingwood had played it correctly. Considerable debate has taken place over the past years about whether the Sri Lankan is a chucker. The Australians are in no doubt that he is, while the technical experts who have studied his wrist action carefully give him the benefit of the doubt. As a layman I feel it only fair to point out that he only bowls at 50 miles an hour, not 100, so world class batsmen ought to be able to handle him.

I had the privilege of doing an auction for Muttiah in Jersey a couple of years ago in aid of tsunami victims, and found him the most delightful man, though I am bound to say, I still think Shane Warne is the greatest bowler the game has ever seen - despite the statistics proving me wrong. I just wish England had either of them.