Australia and Sri Lanka will play for the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy this month in honour of the two leading wicket-takers in Test history, Cricket Australia and Sri Lanka Cricket announced Saturday.
Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan, who have taken more than 1400 Test wickets between them, have lent their names to the trophy, which will be up for grabs each time the two nations do battle in future series. They will first compete for the trophy during a two-Test series, which gets underway in Brisbane next Thursday.
The announcement celebrates the 25th anniversary of Australia-Sri Lanka Test cricket, with the trophy featuring casts of Warne and Muralitharan's right hands and match-used cricket balls bowled by both players during their careers.
Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said the trophy was a fitting tribute to two players who have left an indelible mark on world cricket. "Both Shane and Muttiah have broken the 700-wicket barrier and inspired young cricketers around the world to try their hands at spin bowling," Sutherland said in a statement.
"We think it's a fitting tribute to both players by naming the perpetual Australia-Sri Lanka Test series trophy after them. "We see the inception of this trophy as yet another step in celebrating the wonderful history between both nations while continuing to build its stature in the years to come."
"We are proud of the rivalry between our nation and Australia and think this trophy will help add to the sense of occasion every time we do battle," Sri Lanka Cricket chief executive Duleep Mendis said in the statement.
Warne, who retired from Test cricket last January with a world record 708 wickets, said he was proud to be sharing the honour with Muralitharan. "We've had some great battles in the past and helped raise each other's game to the heights that we've reached," Warne said in the statement.
"The rivalry between Australia and Sri Lanka has grown immeasurably over the last decade and I know my former Australian teammates will be super keen to be the first country to win the trophy when they do battle this month.
"Personally, Sri Lanka means something special to me. It was where I first achieved success as a Test bowler and it also moved me when I saw the courage with which the people of Sri Lanka responded to the tragic tsunami during my visit there immediately afterwards." Muralitharan, who needs nine wickets to break Warne's world record, said he was honoured.
"I have enormous respect for Shane Warne and I consider it a great honour to have a trophy named after both of us," he said. "Australia also gave me one of my most memorable moments when I played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the tsunami fund raiser. Warne and Muralitharan will unveil the trophy before the second Test in Hobart on November 16. Sri Lanka last played a Test series in Australia in 2004 and the next contest may not take place before 2010.
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