Murali demystified ?

[Donny]

Murali no mystery

By Robert Craddock and Andrew Dawson - Fox


AILING Matthew Hayden, with his short-term future under a cloud, says Australia has unravelled the mystery of Muthiah Muralidaran . . . and the bowler knows it.

Hayden is receiving hourly ice treatment on a knee he jarred in the field in the third one-dayer against Sri Lanka, aggravating a wound from this summer's domestic series against India.

Team physiotherapist Alex Kountouri said Hayden's condition improved yesterday and he was a chance to play in today's fourth game of a five-match series Australia leads 2-1.

But it's highly unlikely Australia will risk him and the tourists will anxiously await confirmation when he bats this morning that he is in the clear for the three-Test series that starts in 11 days.

"It is nothing major; we did an MRI in Australia and it showed nothing," Kountouri said yesterday.

"He is almost pain-free, but the only thing I have not done is tested his batting. I can't say whether he can play until we do that."

Off-spinner Muralidaran, rated by Wisden as the No. 1 bowler in cricket history, has not been the threat expected in three one-day games on tour, taking 2-30 and 0-49 in Dambulla and 0-43 in the third game in Colombo.

"He is concerned because I think he knows we can pick him," Hayden said.

"Really, in the games we have had, he has had minimal impact. Without Murali making an impact, they are less of a side. And he knows we can pick him.

"He has told that to people and it has got back to us. And it is not just me who can read him; it is all of us."

Muralidaran has developed an away spinner that turns in the opposite direction to his stock ball, but the Australians, while not flawless in reading it, seem to pick it most of the time by the line he bowls it.

Hayden said the Australian batsmen's game against spinners on the sub-continent had improved greatly.

"We have matured as a side on the sub-continent," he said.

"Just like India matured in England, cut their teeth there and were experienced with playing seam bowling before coming to Australia last summer, we, too, have developed our game on the sub-continent."

Australian captain Ricky Ponting is also delighted by the way the threat of Muralidaran has been negated.

"I don't think he's bowling that badly. I think we've played him pretty well," he said.

"Our approach towards him has been spot-on so far. No wickets in the last two games for over 90 runs has been a good result for us.

"Most of our batsmen are picking him and playing him really well. Hopefully we can do that again."

Muralidaran says he can be more effective in the Tests.

"I can spin the ball more than I have in the one-dayers," he said.