English paceman James Anderson picks up his 30th five-wicket haul in Test career

English paceman James Anderson picked up his 30th five-wicket haul in his career overtaking Australian legend Glenn McGrath, who had 29 fifers in Test cricket. The 38-year-old bowler became the second pacer to reach 30-plus five-wicket hauls in an innings of a Test match. New Zealand legend Richard Hadlee is the other seamer.

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Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan has the highest five-wicket hauls (67), followed by legendary Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne (37), former New Zealand fast bowler Richard Hadlee (36), ex-India captain Anil Kumble (35) and former Sri Lanka spinner Rangana Herath (34).

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The Englishman achieved this feat against Sri Lanka as his best Test figures in Asia (6-40) helped the visitors bowl out the hosts for 381. Anderson, who replaced Stuart Broad for the match, took his wicket tally to 606. He already holds the record of most wickets (by pacer) in Test cricket.

Despite this achievement, Sri Lanka managed to pose challenging 381 runs in the first innings.

Dilruwan Perera was the last man out on 67 as the hosts, who trail the two-Test series 1-0 and resumed the day on 229-4, were bowled out in an extended second session and tea was taken in Galle.

Anderson, 38, denied wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella a century after sending him back on 92 to claim his 30th five-wicket haul and second in Sri Lanka -- his previous best was 5-75 in Galle in 2012.

Dickwella made the team fight back with his 16th Test fifty as he put together an 89-run seventh-wicket stand with Perera.

Perera also dug in after Dickwella's wicket and scored his seventh Test half-century to frustrate the England bowlers before falling to Sam Curran.

All the 10 wickets went to the pacemen with Wood taking three scalps.

(Inputs from AFP)