Murali gets Hair to gel

When after ten years Muttiah Muralitharan and Darrell Hair got together in the middle in Melbourne, it was a quiet and friendly affair with no hints of the MCG controversy that initially brought them so much notoriety. Hair's appointment for the second match of the Super Series revived memories of the previous meeting, but his hands remained clasped for most of Muralitharan's two spells, although he had to raise both arms when Adam Gilchrist slog-swept a six.

Whistles and claps from the crowd greeted Muralitharan's appearance in the 12th over and the closest sign of a no-ball call came from the stands for the first delivery. Muralitharan said last week the pair had made peace and Hair smiled at the bowler following his second opening-over appeal.

Muralitharan's only success came as he confused Simon Katich on 47 and his seven-over spell finished at 28 for 1. Returning for three more overs at Hair's end, where he again bowled in partnership with Daniel Vettori, Muralitharan finished with a highly respectable 43 for 1, and was the most economical of the World XI bowlers as Australia went to pile up 328 for 4.

At the MCG on Boxing Day in 1995 Hair called Muralitharan seven times in the Test, giving both men more notoriety than either wanted. Hair received death threats and Muralitharan won a lifetime of analysis from naked eyes and laboratories, including biomechanics tests. To prove his innocence he even appeared on TV to demonstrate how his arm didn't exceed the right degree of flex.

His relationship with Australia reached its worst point when John Howard, the prime minister, ruled him a chucker and with the jeers of previous trips in his ears he said he would never tour again. However, the tsunami relief match at the MCG in January 2005 brought him back to Melbourne, where his beaming eyes and twirling figure received a hugely supportive response.