Muralitharan down with stomach cramps

Muttiah Muralitharan has given the Sri Lankans a pre-match scare after complaining of a severe stomach upset. Muralitharan first complained of stomach cramps on Sunday afternoon and then endured a sleepless night. He remained unwell on Monday morning.

Sri Lankan team sources were confident that he would recover in time for the second Test, which starts on Tuesday, but the potential loss of their star bowler, who claimed 11 for 212 against Australia in the first Test, is still a serious concern.

Muralitharan has taken 496 scalps in 86 matches, and is poised to join Courtney Walsh (519 wickets) and Shane Warne (501) in the 500-wicket club during the match, which will be played at Kandy, his home city.

Sri Lanka, meanwhile, were forced to abandon their morning training session on Sunday because of heavy rain. The afternoon practice was also disrupted, and the players were forced to wait for a break in the weather before returning to the Asgiriya International Stadium.