Muralitharan 'very unlikely' to play in second Test

The chances of Sri Lanka's spin wizard, Muttiah Muralitharan, being fit for the second Test against England at Edgbaston appear to be diminishing by the day.

Although Murali turned his right arm on the outfield at Cardiff, where Sri Lanka are playingtheir tour match against Glamorgan, his action is still restricted by the injury to his left shoulder.

Team manager Chandra Schaafter does not expect Muralitharan to be ready for Edgbaston, but still hopes he might be fit for the third Test at Old Trafford.

"It seems very unlikely he will play in the second Test and we are only hoping he can play in the third," he said.

"There is nothing yet to indicate he will and nothing to indicate he won't. It is just a matter of how quickly he gets back into shape."

Sri Lanka are also awaiting video evidence from the ICC of the suspect bowling action of their left-arm paceman Ruchira Perera, who was reported by the umpires after the drawn first Test at Lord's.

Perera, 25, is not playing in the current match. "We are waiting for the video tapes to arrive," Schaafter said.

"I have been promised them tomorrow or the day after by the ICC and after we get them we will start to work on what we see.

"This problem never came up before. He has played seven Test matches and there has never been a hint of anything like this. It came as a big surprise to everyone."