Spin trump Muralitharan primed for action

One man has dominated the build-up to the forthcoming Test series between Sri Lanka and England. It is with good reason too, for Muttiah Muralitharan, son of a confectioner, is no ordinary bowler. Ever since taking up off spin at the age of 14, he has spun the ball prodigiously and taken wickets at an alarming rate.

He became the second fastest bowler ever to take 300 Test wickets, after Dennis Lillee, and in 2000 he took a staggering 75 wickets from just ten Test Matches. Thus, when he strained a groin muscle in New Zealand, Sri Lanka's cricket-loving public shuddered at the thought of being without him.

Although Alex Kontouri, the Sri Lankan physio, would have preferred three weeks to heal the injury, he was given ten days. Thanks to intensive treatment, Muralitharan will play tomorrow in Galle, even though is not yet one hundred per cent fit.

"I have progressively increased my bowling during the last four days. I bowled for 50 minutes today and did so at about 90% fitness. I won't be 100% tomorrow, but I will have to take a chance," said the smiling assassin.

In fact, bowling is not his greatest problem. He sustained the injury whilst fielding and Kontouri is concerned about him aggravating it in a similar manner. He is expected to be under instructions to take it easy in the field, something that he is not inclined to do by nature.

Since bowling Sri Lanka to a remarkable victory at the Oval in 1998, Muralitharan has developed as a bowler, and now boasts a mysterious arm ball that few batsmen can read.

"I do have a straighter ball like Saqlain, but do not believe in it much for getting wickets in Test Matches. In the One Day Internationals, however, I get a lot of batsmen out lbw with it. Most of my wickets come from the off-spinner. But I have grown in experience and look to vary my spin and pace more than I did previously," he explained.

Muralitharan admits that England look to have improved against spin in Pakistan, but he is not quaking in his boots: "At the end of the day it depends on who the bowler is and how they bowl on that day. As the bowler, I can make so many mistakes and get the batsmen out, but if they make one mistake they are out. It's going to depend on who plays well on the day."

Asked whether Michael Atherton's experience against him at Lancashire may help the England opener in this series, he said with honest modesty: "It may be a bit of an advantage for Atherton, but even our players play against me every day and even they struggle. He will have a game plan though and I will have to react to that."

Muralitharan plays down the value of his performance in County Cricket, in which he took a remarkable 66 wickets from just six games: "It was a different type of cricket. Most of them are not international cricketers and they hadn't seen me before. So the first time I go and bowl, they are going to be confused."

Muralitharan can spin the ball on any surface, but he revels in bowling in Sri Lanka: "I love bowling in Sri Lanka and I am looking forward to bowling on this wicket. In fact, I think it is a pretty good batting wicket and I don't think it will break up. It should turn on days three and four."

Fitness permitting, Muralitharan is looking forward to at least another five years of Test cricket and admits he has set his sights on 500 wickets. Few doubt that he will achieve it and many expect him to surpass it with ease, to become the world's leading wicket taker.