Muttiah Muralitharan insisted his eight-wicket haul in Sri Lanka's series-levelling 134-run victory over England here at Trent Bridge on Monday was one of his greatest-ever performances.
In what could be his final Test in England, the man of the three-match series, drawn 1-1, took the wickets of all the hosts' top seven batsmen in their second innings as Sri Lanka won with more than a day to spare.
The 34-year-old off-spinner said his spectacular showing was in the same bracket as his 16 for 220 in Sri Lanka's victory against England at The Oval in 1998 - the last time they won a Test outside the Indian sub-continent, excluding away encounters against minnows Zimbabwe.
"It was one of the best after The Oval match," Murali said.
"It is not easy against England although the wicket helped," he added after taking eight for 70 for a match haul of 11 for 132.
Murali claimed he was not upset at England tail-ender Matthew Hoggard being run out by Chamara Kapugedera, which denied the spin wizard the chance to claim only the third 10-wicket innings haul in Test history.
"I was happy if we get England all out. We wanted to win the match and level the series," he said.
"I was celebrating all the wickets we can take. I had already taken seven and I was happy at the time," explained Murali whose second-innings wickets came in a burst of eight for 26 in 105 balls.
Stand-in England captain Andrew Flintoff admitted that Murali, whom he played alongside at Lancashire, had been the difference.
"We were undone by a special talent and you can't take anything away from the way he bowled. It was tricky for new batsmen facing that."
Flintoff, himself nursing an ankle problem, admitted his injury-hit team, who have now gone three series without coming out on top after last year's Ashes triumph against Australia, had missed their chances against Sri Lanka.
"We've got to hold our hands up," he said afterwards. "We were in positions where we were very much involved in the match."
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene said Murali, who has now taken 16 10-wicket hauls in Tests and 53 returns of five or more in an innings, could still be playing Test cricket by the time his side returned to England in 2011.
"He's a different guy, if he's got the enthusiasm, the hunger for cricket, he'll definitely be here in five years.
"I think the way he's bowling, he could probably walk to the crease, and even if he bowls he could pick-up wickets. It's all to do with his spin," added Jayawardene, who has taken 57 catches off Murali, mainly at slip, the most by any fielder in Tests off one bowler excluding wicket-keepers. "But it's all to do with what he wants to do. I think we should enjoy him as he is right now. He's doing brilliantly and his motivation is great.
"I'm personally very honoured to actually play with him in the side. You can see his character, he's a very, very nice guy. I'm very proud to be part of this group with Murali because you won't get a nicer guy."
England batsman Kevin Pietersen, named England's man of the series after hundreds in the drawn series opener at Lord's and the hosts' six-wicket second Test win at Edgbaston, hailed Murali's haul.
"It didn't pan out as we wished but hats off to that little bloke over there - he is an absolute genius and on his day can knock any team over."
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