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SYDNEY (Dec 5, 1995 - 18:50 EST) - Match referee Graham Dowling
will meet Sri Lankan officials before Friday's first test against
Australia to discuss off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan's bowling
action, Australian newspapers said on Wednesday.
The International Cricket Council has two detailed files on
Muralitharan from match referees who were concerned by the nature
of the action which generates more turn than other off-spinners,
according to the Sydney Daily Telegraph-Mirror.
Muralitharan is already Sri Lanka's most prolific test
wicket-taker with 78 wickets at 30.71 apiece in 21 matches.
The ICC files also include video footage of the spinner, filmed
from different angles which were sent to the ICC, the game's
ruling body, after Sri Lanka's tour of New Zealand early this
year where they won their first overseas test, the reports said.
The Sri Lankans have already brushed aside doubts about
Muralitharan's action. Tour manager Duleep Mendis was quoted as
saying late on Tuesday that he was not concerned about any ICC
probe.
"He has played all over the world before different umpires and
there was no problem, so I don't think at this stage we should
discuss it," he was quoted as saying in the Sydney Morning
Herald.
Mendis said there had been no discussion with him about
Muralitharan since his side arrived in Australia last month. Sri
Lanka have already played two first-class matches against
Queensland and Tasmania ahead of the Perth test.
"At this stage, I don't think we should worry too much," Mendis
said.
The match referee is empowered to report back to the ICC on
issues such as "bowlers with suspect actions" but the decision to
call an illegal delivery rests with the umpires.
The Sri Lankans, who beat Pakistan in a three-test series in
October, play three tests against the Australians as well as a
triangular one-day tournament which also includes West Indies.
(c) 1995 Reuter Information Service
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Syed
--
I speak Latin to God, Spanish to men,
French to women and German to my horse
- Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, 1337 - 1380