CricketMuttiah Muralitharan expects to hold his new Test bowling record for an eternity after passing Australian Shane Warne in a hometown celebration.
Muralitharan (35) became the most prolific bowler in the history of the game with the dismissal of Paul Collingwood, his 709th career victim, moments before midday at Asgiriya, a ground he first played on as a schoolboy 20 years ago.
That was the fifth wicket of his six for 55 as England were eventually bundled out for 281. To add to the drama and sense of anticipation, Murali went wicketless in his initial nine-over spell, before striking with his fourth ball of his return, one which defeated Collingwood's attempt to guide to third man and clipped the top of middle-stump.
Murali held the record once before when he surpassed Courtney Walsh's tally of 519 wickets in 2004.
Having gone past the retired Warne's tally, and with only Indian veteran Anil Kumble to have breached the 500-mark of current players, Murali's eventual haul is one which should be safe for decades.
It will be a moment replayed time and again in future years but Murali admitted his historical dismissal owed something to fortune.
"I tried to spin the ball and the ball went straight," he said.
Collingwood hit 45 amid a determined English rearguard as the overnight score of 186 for six was swelled beyond expectation.
Ryan Sidebottom shared a half-century stand for the seventh wicket, hitting a Test-best 31, full of positive strokes, before nicking Lasith Malinga in the third over of the new ball.
Cue Murali's return to seek further inroads, and the landmark, in the 89th over of the innings.
Sri Lanka were turbo-charged into the lead, following a 93-run deficit on first innings, by Sanath Jayasuriya's final contribution in Test cricket. The 38-year-old, who had registered just one half-century in the past three years at an average below 20, blitzed 78 before being trapped leg before by Matthew Hoggard.
In the second emotional address of the match, Jayasuriya was embraced by incoming batsman Kumar Sangakkara and milked the applause of the crowd before confirming he will play only one-day internationals from now on.
Jayasuriya signed off in typically flamboyant manner, however, by becoming only the fourth man to hit every ball of a legitimate six-ball over for a boundary.
Fast bowler James Anderson was the unfortunate recipient of the punishment, although the second one was a flashed edge which Ian Bell got his finger-tips to at slip. The fifth propelled Jayasuriya to a 62-ball 50.
Lanky left-hander Michael Vandort played the support role in a stand of 113, surprisingly a Sri Lankan first-wicket record against England, but fell to an act of aggression on 49, shortly before the gloom terminated things for the day, when he flashed an Anderson delivery to Bell, who this time clung on to his left.
Sri Lanka closed on 167 for two, an advantage of 76 runs, knowing the tourists have to bat last on a pitch which is becoming turgidly slow.
England are confident Kevin Pietersen will be part of any run chase despite his non-participation due to a minor fracture in the little finger of his right hand, incurred while fielding in the Sri Lankan first innings.
First Test Scoreboard
Overnight: Sri Lanka 188 (K Sangakkara 92, H Jayawardene 51; M Hoggard 4 for 29). England 186 for 6 (I Bell 83; M Muralitharan 4 for 30).
ENGLAND - First Innings
P Collingwood b Muralitharan 45
R Sidebottom c H Jayawardene b Malinga 31
M Hoggard st H Jayawardene b Muralitharan 15
J Anderson lbw b Vaas 9
M Panesar not out 2
Extras (b6, lb1, w2, nb11, pens 0) 20
... -----
Total (93.1 overs) 281
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-107, 3-132, 4-170, 5-182, 6-185, 7-242, 8-266, 9-272.
Bowling: Vaas 18.1-3-76-2; Malinga 20-2-86-1; Muralitharan 35-14-55-6; Jayasuriya 2-0-9-0; Fernando 18-2-48-1.
SRI LANKA - Second innings
M Vandort c Bell b Anderson 49
S Jayasuriya lbw b Hoggard 78
K Sangakkara not out 30
D Jayawardene not out 0
Extras (b5, lb5, pens 0) 10
... -----
Total 2 wkts (52 overs) 167
Fall of wickets: 1-113, 2-166.
To bat: L Silva, J Mubarak, H Jayawardene, W Vaas, C Fernando, S Malinga, M Muralitharan.
Bowling: Hoggard 11-3-28-1; Sidebottom 11-2-22-0; Panesar 18-1-53-0; Anderson 9-2-50-1.
