Muttiah Muralitharan makes his Test debut against Australia in 1992 and claims Craig McDermott as his first scalp Figures of 16-220 from Muralitharan against England in 1998 at The Oval see Murali past the 200-wicket mark Despite an ICC panel giving it the all-clear in 1999, Muralitharan's action continues to attract attention But his fantastic form in the 1998 season sees him crowned Wisden cricketer of the year in 1999 And in 2002 he becomes the youngest player to take 400 Test wickets when he bowls Zimbabwe's Henry Olonga Shane Warne is wicket number 496, but the Australian wins the race to become the first spinner past 500 wickets Murali is not far behind, reaching the 500-wicket mark with the dismissal of Australia's Michael Kasprowicz at Kandy At just 31, Murali and his Sri Lankan supporters have Courtney Walsh's world record of 519 wickets firmly in their sights Muralitharan eventually surpasses Walsh's record with his 520th victim in the first Test against Zimbabwe in 2004 But Warne becomes the first player to take 600 Test wickets, during the third Ashes at Old Trafford in 2005 A nine-wicket haul in the first Test against Bangladesh in 2006 marks Muralitharan's 100th Test and his 593rd wicket And he claims his 600th Test wicket in the second Test against Bangladesh with the dismissal of Khaled Mashud The spinner leads Sri Lanka off the pitch in Bogra and looks intent on chasing down Warne's wicket-taking record
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