Lancashire: Akram eyes treble as Lancs move for Muralitharan (7 Sep 1998)

7 September 1998

Akram eyes treble as Lancs move for spin king Muralitharan

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

Wasim Akram is on course to lead Lancashire to an amazing treble - even though the club have refused his request to stay for another season and opted for controversial Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, writes ANDY WILSON.

Akram was all smiles as he lifted the NatWest Trophy at Lord's yesterday, and now dreams of picking up their first outright Championship since 1934 - while Lancashire could wrap up the AXA League by beating Hampshire at Old Trafford today.

Essex lost to Notts yesterday and either a win - or a no result - today would hand Lancashire their second title in two days.

The committee were also today expected to confirm the signing of off-spinner Muralitharan to replace Akram as the overseas player next summer, with John Crawley stepping up as skipper.

Lancashire's early concerns that Murali would miss most of the end of the season, as well as the start, have been eased by reassurances that Sri Lanka's series against Australia will not start until September.

"I have told them that I am available, but I think they have made the decision that they are going to sign someone else for next year," Wasim confirmed. "I would like to stay but that's fine with me - it's up to them. It would be nice to go out on a high."

Wasim could even be playing against Lancashire next season, as he confirmed that he would listen to offers from other counties.

"I'm 32 and I think I have two more years left in me," he added.

The Wasim saga has been dragging on for weeks. At first the club believed that he did not want to come back, preferring instead to concentrate on the World Cup.

Wasim even confirmed yesterday that he had advised them to sign an off-spinner as his replacement.

But in the last couple of weeks Wasim seems to have had a change of heart.

Unfortunately for him it came too late as Lancashire had already approach Muralitharan, beating off rival bids from Kent and Leicestershire with former Sri Lanka coach Dav Whatmore giving them the inside running.

Fortunately the potential damage this could cause to team spirit, and especially the relationship between Wasim and Whatmore, is being put aside with everyone at the club totally focused on the treble.

Ian Austin, who became only the second player to be named man of the match in both NatWest and Benson and Hedges Cup finals after Clive Radley, said: "It's definitely on. The AXA League is in our own hands and in the Championship all we can do is win our last two games and hope the Surrey and Leicester results go our way."

Source :: Lancashire Evening Telegraph (http://www.reednews.co.uk/let/)

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