Lancashire: Murali bid is mangled (1 Sep 1998)

1 September 1998

Murali bid is mangled

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

Lancashire are set to pull out of the bidding for Sri Lankan spinning sensation Muttiah Muralitharan as a replacement for Wasim Akram next season.

Coach Dav Whatmore had 'Murali' at the top of his hit list even before his historic 16 wicket performance at the Oval.

And the off spinner has confirmed that he would love a season in County Cricket - with Whatmore's Sri Lankan contacts giving Lancashire the inside running.

But, as well as being a certain starter in the World Cup in May and June, Lancashire have learned that Murali will also be required for a home Test series against Australia.

That is currently due to start in early September which means he would miss the last five weeks of the season as well as the first two months.

So unless there is a change of dates, with the Australian Cricket Board currently in talks with Sri Lankan officials, Lancashire will have to put their plans to sign Murali on the back burner, and to look elsewhere.

They continue to be linked with a number of this summer's South African touring party - Jacques Kallis, Makhaya Ntini, Lance Klusener and now Shaun Pollock. But both Kallis and Pollock could only join on two-year contracts because they have already played County Cricket with Middlesex and Warwickshire respectively.

And South African cricket boss Ali Bacher has always been wary of protecting his top players, especially his bowlers, from the demands of an English Championship season.

Meanwhile there was an 11.30am inspection before the start of today's Championship match against Derbyshire at Old Trafford due to rain. Lancashire went into the game third in the table and one of only three counties with a realistic chance of taking the title after Gloucestershire's defeat by Somerset at Bristol on Sunday.

Of the others, Surrey face Yorkshire at Headingley, and Leics travel to Warwickshire.

Source :: Lancashire Evening Telegraph (https://www.reednews.co.uk/let/)