Sri Lanka vs England: James Anderson surpasses Glenn McGrath in a Test record

England fast bowler James Anderson registered his career's 30th five-wicket haul and surpassed Australian great Glenn McGrath's tally of 29 five-fers in Test cricket.

Anderson claimed the five-wicket haul on Saturday as he picked up six wickets in Sri Lanka's first innings in the ongoing second Test at the Galle International Stadium.

The English pacer dismissed Niroshan Dickwella (92), Suranga Lakmal (0), Angelo Mathews (110), Kusal Perera (6) and Lahiru Thirimanne (43) to complete the five-wicket haul on Day 2 and climbed to No. 6 on the list of bowlers with most five-wicket hauls in Tests.

Sri Lanka's spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan is at the top of the list with 67 five-fors in Test cricket from 133 matches ahead of Australia's great leg-spinner Shane Warne (37), former New Zealand fast bowler Richard Hadlee (36), former Indian captain Anil Kumble (35) and ex-Sri Lanka spinner Rangana Herath (34).

This was Anderson's second five-wicket haul in Asia. His first had come at the same venue against Sri Lanka in 2012 in a Test that England lost by 75 runs.

At 38 years and 177 days, Anderson also became the second oldest bowler to claim five wickets in an innings in Asia. Former Sri Lankan left-arm spinner Rangana Herath holds the record of being the oldest bowler to grab a five-for, which came at the SSC in Colombo against South Africa in 2018 when he was 40 years and 123 days old.

In the ongoing second Test, Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat. Angelo Matthews recorded his 11th Test century, while wicketkeeper-batsman Dickwella missed out on a deserving hundred by eight runs. Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal also chipped in with a half-century as he scored 52 off 121 deliveries.

Sri Lanka and England are currently playing a two-Test series with Joe Root and Co 1-0 up after winning the opening Test by seven wickets. Even the first Test was played at the same venue in Galle.