da aposte e ganhe： New doubts have been cast on Muttiah Muralitharan’s long term fitnessprospects by the fact that the Sri Lankan team manager, Chandra Schaffter,forbade questions about his star bowler’s medical condition when he appearedat a press conference at the
Ralph Dellor01-Jun-2002New doubts have been cast on Muttiah Muralitharan’s long term fitnessprospects by the fact that the Sri Lankan team manager, Chandra Schaffter,forbade questions about his star bowler’s medical condition when he appearedat a press conference at the close of play on the third day of the secondnpower Test at Edgbaston.It seemed a strange condition, bearing in mind that Murali had just bowled64 overs in the England first innings, taking five for 143. However, thebowler himself admitted that he did not expect to play in the match becausehe was not one hundred per cent fit.”When I came here I did not think I would play, but the team always comesfirst. I was bowling all right but I didn’t pick up many wickets at thestart and the same today, because today I was tired. I have not played foralmost one and a half months and I haven’t trained either and I just camehere, had two or three net sessions and then went straight into the game.”It was difficult for me to adjust to match conditions, but I think I bowledall right because the slowness of the pitch made it more difficult because Iam unable to bowl quicker than I did. I should bowl a little bit quickerthan I am bowling now.”He described the exact nature of his injury, despite the restrictionsimposed by the management. “I cannot push this left shoulder hard because itclicks. Whenever the two bones hit together, the pain starts.” The long termprognosis is not good if two bones are clicking together.Muralitharan said he felt the effects of the first day. “There was sorenessin the shoulders but you don’t think about the pain when you bowl – you justthink about how you are going to get the batsman out. It’s all mind games,so if you’re tough enough you can do anything.”Asked how long it will take him to get back to his best he said: “I don’tknow because it is a difficult decision to take whether I play the next Testor not. I can’t bat and I can’t field so it restricts me and I don’t want toplay like that. I have to consider the team and the management and find whatthey say. If the team wants me to, I will play.After admitting that the side as a whole had lacked penetration, thereforeputting added pressure on him, he still thinks that Sri Lanka can save thegame.”Although we have lost two wickets, the pitch is still very good and twobatsmen are there who got hundreds in the Lord’s Test. That was after we hadlost two early wickets so if they can put on the same type of show that theydid at Lord’s we can definitely save the match.”