Muralitharan plying trade free of doubts thanks to Hong Kong supporter

THE mesmeric Muttiah Muralitharan, destroyer of the cream of English cricket, was hardly bothered when David Lloyd raised the spectre of chucking soon after England had tumbled to a humbling 10-wicket defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka on Monday at the Oval.

'The comments do not affect me because I know my bowling is all right,' said the uniquely wristy off-spinner who had taken a match haul of 16-220, the fifth best in Test history.

Lloyd cast doubt over the legality of Muralitharan's action at the close of the fourth day's play, saying he would give his views to the cricket authorities after the match.

But Muralitharan was unperturbed. A far cry from the frightened player of three years ago. Flashback to the MCG during the 1995-96 series when Australian umpire Darrell Hair no-balled Muralitharan out of the attack.

The world seemed to have come crashing down on the slim shoulders of the biscuit-maker's son from Kandy. This writer, holidaying in Melbourne at the time, witnessed Muralitharan's pain.

But when England coach Lloyd raked up fresh controversy last week, Muralitharan was as cool as the cucumber in the sandwiches served at tea time just before England's downfall.