Aussies look to Murali

SRI LANKA – Australia will be looking to local legend and one-time bogeyman Muttiah Muralitharan to inspire them to success on his home patch as the world’s number one Test team begin a three-match series in Sri Lanka this week.

Steve Smith’s side will be desperate to reverse a poor recent away record against teams from the sub-continent when play begins in Pallekele tomorrow, as India breathe down their necks in the race for Test supremacy.

But while Australia’s fast bowlers have been key to their success on home soil in recent years, their less celebrated spinners will have to step up to the plate against a Sri Lankan side that has been struggling of late.

Veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon and slow left-armer Steve O’Keefe are both expected to be named in tomorrow’s starting lineup after performing strongly in the warm-ups.

Both have benefitted from working with Muralitharan, the leading wickettaker in the history of Test match cricket who has been hired by the Australians as a consultant for the Sri Lanka tour.

“It’s great to have someone like that helping our spinners in this series, to give us that insight,” Smith said.

Since Australia’s last tour here in 2011, Sri Lanka’s two most prolific batsmen Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene have retired and the team have been sliding down the Test rankings.

Sri Lanka have only just returned home from a disastrous tour of England where they failed to win any of their nine Tests and limited overs internationals.

The second Test will be held in Galle from August 4 to 8, and the third in Colombo from August 13 to 17. –