Injured Sri Lankans may be out of Australia tour (13 December 1998)
The duo had earlier been given time until December 23 to pass a fitness test to qualify but officials said their participation in the triangular series that includes Australia and England remained doubtful
13-Dec-1998
13 December 1998
Injured Sri Lankans may be out of Australia tour
AFP
COLOMBO, Dec 13 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's vice captain Aravinda de
Silva and star spinner Muttiah Muralitharan are yet to recover
from injuries that may keep them out of the Australian tour next
month, cricket officials said Sunday
The duo had earlier been given time until December 23 to pass a
fitness test to qualify but officials said their participation in
the triangular series that includes Australia and England
remained doubtful.
The triangular ran into trouble when top Australian umpire Darrel
Hair reiterated that Muralitharan was guilty of throwing and that
he would not hesitate to no ball the spinner unless he corrected
his "diabolical" action.
Hair withdrew from officiating at any Sri Lankan matches but the
Cricket Board here is insisting that the controversial umpire
should be investigated for commenting on players in violation of
a code of conduct.
Muralitharan is meanwhile nursing an injury he sustained during
the mini world cup in Bangladesh.
The Sunday Times newspaper said vice captain de Silva may face
attacks from the Australian press because of his "personal
problem." The paper was referring to an illegitimate child he
fathered in Australia.
The Sri Lanka squad named earlier for the Australian tour: Arjuna
Ranatunga (capt), Aravinda de Silva (vice capt), Sanath
Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, Roshan Mahanama, Hashan
Tillekeratne, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah
Muralitharan, Upul Chandana, Pramodya Wickramasinghe, Suresh
Perera, Nuwan Zoysa, Aviska Gunawardena and Tilan Samarawaeera.