Show due respect to Murali when in Australia- Ponting

RESPECT: Australia captain Ricky Ponting has urged spectators to show due respect to Muttiah Muralitharan if the Sri Lanka spinner passes Shane Warne’s record of 708 Test victims in the two-match series later this year.

Muralitharan stands just eight Test scalps shy of Australian great Warne’s all-time record after snaring 26 wickets at an average of 10.84 during Sri Lanka’s recent three-match series whitewash of Bangladesh.

The 33-year-old has come under fire on previous tours of Australia due to his controversial bowling action but Ponting hopes he is lauded if he

manages to pass Warne in the Tests, which will be staged in Brisbane on

November 8 and Hobart on November 16.

“He’s had his fair share of ups and downs in Australia through his career, and probably in different parts of the world (too),” Ponting said. “But being the champion bowler that he’s been for a long time, if he happens to break the record in Australia then hopefully the crowds do the right thing and show him the respect he deserves.

“(But) it’s up to us to stop that - make sure that doesn’t happen. Whether or not we’re going to be good enough to do that is a different story.

“I think he needs nine wickets. If we can keep him down to less than that in two Tests, I think we’re going to be going a long way towards winning the series.”

Muralitharan’s current tally of 700 wickets has come at an average of

21.33 across his 113-match career.

But the Sri Lankan concedes he finds Australia the toughest of all his

opponents with his 11 matches against the Baggy Greens yielding 55 scalps at 31.41.

“He’s actually come out and said publicly that he thinks we play him better than any other team in the world,” Ponting added.

“I think stats would probably back that up and it’s up to us to do it again this year.

“If we can stop him overtaking Shane’s record in Australia I think that’ll be a great thing.”

Muralitharan has pledged to continue his Test career for four more years and so will inevitably pass Warne’s figure at some point before he retires from the international game.

But Ponting still believes he captained the game’s greater bowler, despite Muralitharan being on track to add another 175 victims if he maintains his annual average.

“When you try and weigh everything up it’s a pretty tough one,” he admitted.

“Murali’s certainly been a great bowler (but) Warnie should be remembered as probably the greatest bowler of all-time.”

(Sporting Life)