Former umpires rekindle Murali debate

Retired Australian umpires Ross Emerson and Col Egar have again called into question the bowling action of Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan, according to the Sunday Telegraph.

In the report, Emerson and Egar also criticised the cricket bible Wisden for naming the 30-year-old spinner on Friday as the most valuable Test bowler in history.

"There's so much doubt about his action yet they name him as the best of all-time," Emerson said.

Emerson called Muralitharan in January 1999 when Sri Lanka played England at the Adelaide Oval.

Muralitharan has been named in Sri Lanka's VB Series one-day squad but it is uncertain when he will play as he is recovering from a hernia operation.

The International Cricket Council reviewed video evidence and cleared Muralitharan in the lead-up to the 1996 World Cup, shortly after controversy over his bowling action first arose.