Muralitharan doubtful for ODI series in England

Muttiah Muralitharan has been included in Sri Lanka's one-day squad for the series against England but his participation remains doubtful due to the shoulder injury sustained while on duty with Lancashire.

Murali was ruled out of the ICC World Twenty20 after he sustained an elbow injury while playing last month. He walked off the field with a right bicep strain after bowling more than 33 overs on the first day of the match against Kent on August 28. Though he returned before the close of play, he did not bowl again during the innings and was expected to be out of action for six weeks.

"Murali's injury requires no treatment but ice and plenty of rest. According to team physio Tommy Simseck, Murali is due to have his first net bowl only on October 24 which eventually rules him out of the one-day series," Kanangan Mathivanan, Sri Lanka Cricket secretary, said.

Muralitharan's manager Kushil Gunasekera described the bowler's injury as 'a blessing in disguise'.

"The injury has given Murali the chance to evaluate his future as a cricketer," Gunasekera, who has been his manager since 2001, said. "I can only tell him and advice him. The final decision is his."

What Gunasekera was trying to emphasise was that Muralitharan was not getting any younger and that he should assess the amount of cricket he plays. Being a match-winning bowler the demands from Muralitharan is very high whether he plays for his country, club or county. In his over enthusiasm for the game he sometimes goes over board which has been the case in this instance.

Muralitharan has been playing international cricket for the past 15 years and on an average bowls around 3565 balls per year for his country. Gunasekera was optimistic that Muralitharan would be able to at least play in the latter part of the one-day series. "Murali being Murali you never know with him," he said.

Dilruwan Perera, an offspinner, has been named in the squad in case Muralitharan does not recover in time. According to a source in the selection committee, a report on Muralitharan's progress would be submitted to the national selectors after Simsek returns home from South Africa.

The squad named for the series is virtually the same as that picked for the ICC World Twenty20, the only exception being the exclusion of allrounder Hasantha Fernando. Gayan Wijekoon and Kaushal Lokuarachchi both retain their places. Lokuarachchi's inclusion means there is no place for another legspinner Malinga Bandara who has been named as one of four reserves.

"Loku has been performing outstandingly well in recent times and he is the man in form. We have seen enough of Bandara and we can pick him any time we want. We want to give Loku an opportunity to prove how good he is," selection committee sources stated.

England who is officially due to arrive on September 26 may come to Sri Lanka a few days ahead of time if they are eliminated from the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa.

Sri Lanka squad: Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Chamara Silva, Tillakeratne Dilshan, Jehan Mubarak, Farveez Maharoof, Chaminda Vaas, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Muttiah Muralitharan (subject to fitness), Gayan Wijekoon, Dilruwan Perera.

Stand bys: Malinga Bandara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Chamara Kapugedera, Chanaka Welagedera.