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| Sunday, 28 April 2002 |
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Sri Lanka hope to have Muralitharan back for sceond Test LONDON, April 27 (AFP) - Sri Lanka coach Dav Whatmore said Friday his team hoped to have key bowler Muttiah Muralitharan back in time for the second Test against England. Off-spinner Muralitharan is currently in Australia where he is recovering from shoulder surgery after injuring himself while fielding during the Sharjah Cup final against Pakistan earlier this month. "He's just had an operation on his shoulder, his arm is in a sling and he won't make it for the first Test," said Whatmore "We're hoping he'll be fit for the second Test at the end of May," he added after the first day of his team's opening tour match against Kent at Canterbury was completely washed out. Sri Lanka face England at Lord's on May 16 in the first Test with the second of the three-match series starting at Edgbaston on May 30. Muralitharan has taken 412 Test wickets but Whatmore, a Sri-Lankan born former Australia international, said in his absence the Lankans would show they were not just "a one-bowler team". Sri Lanka come into the series on the back of nine Test victories. But only one of those was abroad and Whatmore said: "Getting the victories overseas, especially in difficult conditions like in England, is what cricket is all about." But while England's batsmen will welcome Muralitharan's absence, their bowlers may not be so keen to see another Sri Lanka great, Aravinda de Silva, in the batting line-up. Formerly Kent's overseas player, De Silva, 36, has been out of the Test side for over a year, but his ability to score runs in English conditions saw him picked for this tour. "He knows England well and is just the type of calming influence this young team needs," said Whatmore. |
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