Muralitharan rejected these allegations while also dismissing suggestions that he had changed the nature of the track provided for the 3-day practice match at the P Sara Stadium to the advantage of the Australians.
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The Sri Lankans were winless in their recent tour of England but, despite slipping to seventh on the International Cricket Council’s rankings, are expected to be a more potent unit in the three Tests in Kandy, Galle and Colombo. The southerners may have been demolished in India in 2013, dismantled by Pakistan in 2014, and have dodged Bangladesh in 2015, but any tour of Sri Lanka has produced more heartening results.
Although rain may have cut the first day short, Australia made a huge impact throughout the opening two sessions of the series, putting themselves in prime position to build a big first innings lead today.
In the other instance, Tillakaratne Dilshan opted to bat in 2011 and Australia’s swing bowlers Ryan Harris (3-38) and Trent Copeland (2-24) went through Sri Lanka’s top order on the way to skittling them for 174.
Australia was then well served by handy contributions from the lower order, with Steve O’Keefe (23), Starc (11) and Nathan Lyon (17) all hanging around to swell the lead, and make a significant dent in a match dominated by bowlers and affected by the weather. “I thought if we bowled well, which we did, we’d get a few wickets early”.
The expect playing eleven for Australia will be- 1 David Warner, 2 Joe Burns, 3 Usman Khawaja, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Adam Voges, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Peter Nevill (wk), 8 Steve O’Keefe, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh Hazlewood.
None of Sri Lanka’s top three had made it double figures and their failure left Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews with a significant rebuilding job.
Meanwhile, Australia captain Steve Smith today received the ICC Test Championship mace and Dollars 1 million in prize money for leading his side to the number one ranking on the MRF Tyres ICC Test Team Rankings on the annual April 1 cut-off date.
“We’d like to turn that around”, said Smith, the world’s top-ranked Test batsman.
Sri Lanka great Sangakkara backed his former team-mate and is optimistic the two parties can resolve any differences.
Hawkesbury cricketer will play for Australia. “It’s about making sure you have a plan from ball one as soon as you get out there and each individual is different”.
“They have no right to accuse me of being a traitor”. She was part of the Australian women’s sides that won World Cups in 1997 and 2005.
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Muralitharan said Sri Lanka’s cricket board had sought help from him only once since his global retirement in 2011.
