TEST CRICKET: England's Nasser Hussain yesterday escaped a potential ban after being found not guilty of abusing Muttiah Muralitharan during the second Test against Sri Lanka in Kandy.

Hussain was accused of calling spinner Muralitharan "a cheat" and "a chucker" during Sri Lanka's innings on the second day at the Asgiriya Stadium.

Television was used in an attempt to pick up what occurred but proved inconclusive, and so no action was taken against Hussain, who led England to victory at the same venue three winters ago.

Tempers were high at the finale of the Sri Lankan innings, when Murali missed a cut at a delivery from Ashley Giles which clipped the top of off-stump before hitting wicketkeeper Chris Read's gloves. Uncertain whether the ball or Read had broken the stumps, umpire Dar gave the batsman not out. When some of the crowd started booing, upon viewing replays, second umpire Daryl Harper then consulted third umpire Peter Manuel and the innings was closed.

Once again England's inability to finish off the tail was exposed as 176 runs were added for the final four wickets.

Things began brightly for the tourists when, after only a single had been added to the overnight 277 for seven, Tillekeratne hooked an Andrew Flintoff bouncer to fine leg. But it was not until 35 minutes into the middle session that Murali's innings concluded in farce.

Muralitharan slowed England's start, dismissing Marcus Trescothick and captain Michael Vaughan, for 52.

Murali endured taunts from travelling fans through the latter stages of the day, which Sri Lanka dominated by taking four wickets in a nine-over spell before Graham Thorpe and Paul Collingwood steered the tourists to the close.