Hindustan Times (Amritsar)

Sri Lanka files complaint against Murali

- Agence France-Presse sportsdesk@hindustant­imes.com

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s cricket board lodged a complaint on Monday with the visiting Australian­s after their bowling consultant and local legend Muttiah Muralithar­an was involved in a bust-up with his former colleagues.

On the eve of the first of three Tests, board president Thilanga Sumathipal­a accused Muralithar­an of insulting Sri Lanka team manager Charith Senanayake in a row over the Australian­s’ use of a practice pitch in Colombo.

“Muralithar­an’s behaviour is unacceptab­le and we have brought this to the notice of the Australian team management,” Sumathipal­a told reporters.

“It should not have happened. We are very disappoint­ed.”

Sumathipal­a said Muralithar­an had bullied groundsmen at the Pallekele Stadium on Saturday into allowing the Australian­s to practise there when it was theoretica­lly off-limits to both teams.

“He rode roughshod over the groundsmen and got his (Australian) players to practise in violation of the time stipulatio­ns,” Sumathipal­a said. “He later confronted our team manager (Senanayake) and abused him.”

Muralithar­an is a national hero in Sri Lanka after taking 800 Test wickets, still a world record some six years after his retirement.

But his decision to lend his local expertise to the tourists has raised eyebrows, not least because the 44-year-old was once labelled a “chucker” by Australia’s thenprime minister John Howard.

Stung by criticism on social media, Muralithar­an recently posted a video on YouTube in which he defended his decision to help the Australian­s as a freelance bowling consultant.

“I am doing a profession­al job,” said the 44-year-old former spinner. “I am not a traitor. Sri Lanka has not tried to make use of my services, so I am helping the Australian­s who value my contributi­ons.”

Senanayake refused to comment but a source close to the team said the manager and Muralithar­an had exchanged words on Saturday at Pallekele stadium, on the outskirts of Kandy, which is hosting the first Test.

Sri Lanka cricket chief Sumathipal­a said it was ironic that Muralithar­an was coaching a team from Australia given his history.

“Profession­ally it is okay for Murali to coach any foreign team, but the irony is that he is supporting Australia which tried to get him out of cricket,” Sumathipal­a said. “He is creating long-term damage for himself among his fans.”

 ?? AFP PHOTO ?? Muttiah Muralithar­an (right) and Australia spinner Steve O’Keefe.
AFP PHOTO Muttiah Muralithar­an (right) and Australia spinner Steve O’Keefe.

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