|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Wednesday, 16 June 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Sports | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
Murali's tour withdrawal huge blow MELBOURNE, Tuesday (Reuters) - World record Test wicket taker Muttiah Muralitharan's decision to withdraw from Sri Lanka's tour of Australia later this month was a huge blow, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Tuesday. "From a Cricket Australia perspective, it's obviously very disappointing," CA chief executive James Sutherland told a news conference on Tuesday. Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne, who trails Muralitharan's world record of 527 wickets by 10, is also expected to miss the July Tests in Darwin and Cairns because of a broken hand. "In the last week we may have lost two of the main drawcards with Shane's injury and now Murali making this announcement," Sutherland said. Muralitharan's presence on the tour had been in doubt since Australian Prime Minister John Howard branded him a "chucker". He has also been called for throwing on two previous visits to Australia. "There's still a few weeks between now and the series starting. So perhaps where there is light or there is time, there is hope," Sutherland added. "But he's obviously been thinking about it for a while and he's come to this decision. I don't think there's a lot really we can do. "I don't know the personal reasons for which he's withdrawn. It's not for me to speculate." Australia won the Test series in Sri Lanka in March 3-0. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
