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Walsh tired but happy

West Indies' Courtney Walsh admitted to being "drained" after becoming Test cricket's record wicket-taker of all time.

The 37-year-old Walsh moved to 435 victims with three for 21 in Zimbabwe's second innings of 102 at his home ground, Sabina Park, Jamaica.

Walsh broke Kapil Dev's six-year-old record of 434 wickets by dismissing Henry Olonga for two to wrap up the innings, and then claimed: "Mentally it's drained me."

The paceman was embraced by his teammates after Wavell Hinds caught tailender Olonga at short-leg and celebrated by kissing the ground.

Walsh, who was given a standing ovation as he led his teammates off the field, feared the chance may have gone with Zimbabwe crumbling on the worn surface.

"When the wickets started tumbling it got a bit dicey and I wondered would I get it," he said, donned in a cap with '435' emblazoned on it.

"So when the skipper asked me whether I was ready to bowl I said 'great'.

"I was already heading in his direction because I needed to get a bowl. I wanted to hint to him that if he needed me to bowl I was ready.

"In the end I was just happy to get the wicket."

It was the paceman's third dismissal of the innings, following the wickets of Trevor Gripper, caught behind by Ridley Jacobs for a duck and Grant Flower, taken by Sherwin Campbell at second slip for 11.

Having taken two for 46 in the tourists' first innings of 308 all out, Walsh soon wreaked havoc second time around, reducing Zimbabwe to 14 for two. But he had to wait another four hours before making his mark on history.

Walsh passed the milestone in his 114th Test, some 17 Tests less than former India skipper Kapil, who congratulated the West Indian via phone link from Dubai.

"Records are there to be broken," Kapil said. "I'm very, very happy to know Courtney has done it because it's not easy to play for as long as he has continued to do and you have to be very strong-minded person to last that long.

"I have played a lot against him and I'm glad he's done it.

"When you break a record it's a time for celebration and I'm happy Courtney has done it in the country where he grew up," he added on Sky Sports.

The Jamaican, who played for more than a decade with Gloucestershire and was handed a benefit with the county in 1992, made his Test debut against Australia in November 1984. Some 15-and-a-half years later, the man who stands more than 6ft 5ins tall, is looking down upon some of the game's all-time greats.

As well as Kapil, Walsh has surpassed the efforts of former record holders Sir Richard Hadlee, who claimed an incredible 431 wickets in just 86 Tests, and England legend Ian Botham's toll of 383 in 102 matches. Pakistan all-rounder Wasim Akram is the closest current player to Walsh, with the same total as Botham in 10 fewer Tests, while fellow Windies firebrand Curtly Ambrose is some 50-odd short of his pace partner.

Australian Shane Warne, who recently overtook Dennis Lillee's wicket-taking record for his country, appears to be the biggest threat to the longevity of Walsh's landmark. The leg-spinner, still only 30, took his tally to 363 in 83 matches during this week's six-wicket win over New Zealand in Wellington, and recently reaffirmed his desire to play Test cricket for as long as possible.