Inspired by Murali, Aussies take on SL

PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka: Australia will be looking to local legend and one-time bogeyman Muttiah Muralitharan to inspire them to success on his home patch as the world’s No 1 Test team begin a three-match series in Sri Lanka this week.

Steve Smith’s side will be desperate to reverse a poor recent away record against teams from the sub-continent when play begins in Pallekele on Tuesday (tomorrow), as India breathe down their necks in the race for Test supremacy.

But while Australia’s fast bowlers have been key to their success on home soil in recent years, their less celebrated spinners will have to step up to the plate against a Sri Lankan side who have been struggling of late.

Off-spinner Nathan Lyon and slow left-armer Steve O’Keefe are both expected to be named in Tuesday’s starting line-up after performing strongly in the warm-ups.

Both have benefitted from working with Muralitharan, the leading wicket-taker in the history of Test match cricket who has been hired by the Australians as a consultant for the Sri Lanka tour.

Muralitharan once refused to tour Australia after prime minister John Howard branded him a “chucker”, but Smith and Australian coach Darren Lehmann have been full of praise for his influence on Lyon and O’Keefe.

O’Keefe bagged 10 wickets in a warm-up match in Colombo last week. Lyon took two wickets in a tidy second innings spell.

“It’s great to have someone like that helping our spinners in this series, to give us that insight,” Smith said after Australia’s arrival on the island. “He’s been really good around the group so far, and he’s enjoying his time with us.”