Muralitharan eases Australia tour fears

Muttiah Muralitharan, Sri Lanka's controversial offspinner, has eased fears that he will withdraw from Sri Lanka's two-Test tour of Australia in June-July this year after Australian newspapers claimed he had threatened to pull out because of constant verbal abuse from Australian crowds.

"I did not threaten to pull out of the tour," Muralitharan told Wisden Cricinfo. "I just said I was not sure about the tour yet." Muralitharan toured Australia in 2003 and a tour pullout is extremely unlikely, especially with the two matches expected to be played in Darwin and Cairns.

Muralitharan was quoted as saying: "I will think very carefully when it [the new contract] comes because we have an Australian and a Zimbabwe tour. Last time, I had a lot of bad feelings [playing in Australia] but I don't know what will happen in the future and how the public will react.

"The crowd is the main problem, not officials or players," he said. "You can't keep bringing up the past and accusing someone. The evidence is there. I have a deformity on the elbow. I can't straighten it. Before I bowl, they are calling 'no-ball'. It's ok once or twice, but not if you are going on and on about it," he added.

Meanwhile, Muralitharan has urged Australia's selectors to name Shane Warne in their Test squad on Friday. With both spinners now within striking distance of 500 Test wickets, Muralitharan would like the challenge of racing Warne to Courtney Walsh's 519-wicket world record.

"I am looking forward to the challenge and I definitely want him to come to Sri Lanka," said Muralitharan. "He has been a great bowler and someone who I have always greatly admired. I have learnt from his patience and character."

Muralitharan [485 wickets] expects Warne [491 wickets] to reach the world record first: "He his a great bowler and is six wickets ahead and should get there first. He has done cricket proud in the last decade so if he does reach it first, good on him. But I do have time on my side with three or four years left to play."