Sri Lankan stars in doubt for Australian Twenty20

Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia might have to reconsider their overseas signings for the Twenty20 Big Bash due to a clash with Sri Lanka's international schedule. Muttiah Muralitharan (Victoria), Lasith Malinga (Tasmania) and Ajantha Mendis (South Australia) were set to take part in the Big Bash and thus potentially qualify to play for the states in next year's Champions League Twenty20.

However, there is now a planned tri-series between Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh during early January that would rule the Sri Lankan players out. Muralitharan said his Victoria contract stipulated that international commitments must take precedence and while he could possibly play a couple of matches at the end of the Big Bash, that was unlikely.

"At the time when I sign it was free, now it is a problem because Sri Lanka has put a tour to Bangladesh that's not confirmed yet," Muralitharan told the Age. "In the contract we put if it happens then I won't be able to come, because there's no point playing two or three matches rather than the whole thing. That's the only problem at the moment, otherwise I am happy to play there.

"Spinners play a big part in Twenty20, so I said okay. I never played domestic in Australia, I played in England but not other countries except in India because of IPL. I thought it's a good chance for me before we go to Twenty20 World Cup and IPL."

Muralitharan was looking forward to making the MCG a home ground after he was called for throwing by Darrell Hair at the venue 14 years ago. He refused to tour Australia in 2004 after being branded a chucker by Australia's then prime minister John Howard, but Muralitharan said he had no problem with Australian crowds and would have enjoyed the chance to play for Shane Warne's home team.

"Warney is one of the greatest spinners I have ever seen and it's a privilege to [represent] his home state," Muralitharan said. "Only problem was that comment by the ex-prime minister. It's not proper for the head of state to comment about someone's bowling, because that's not part of his job … after that I didn't have any problems."

The states are allowed to sign two international players each and Victoria have also secured Dwayne Bravo for the Twenty20 tournament. Neither Tasmania nor South Australia have signed a second player, although the states have until Christmas Eve to confirm their overseas stars.