On a sticky wicket

Is a racist tendency sneaking into cricket ? What, again you ask ? Sri Lanka's master spinner Muttiah Muralitharan is now finding it a bit wearing that he is being heckled the length and breadth of Australia. Cries from the crowd of "no ball" taunted his every delivery in this week's series, although no umpire has called him in Sri Lanka's three matches.

Sri Lanka manager Ranjit Fernando believes the doubts about his controversial action projected in the Australian media and the bandwagon reaction of the crowds has been largely responsible for the world champions' poor form in the tournament.

Muralitharan was called for throwing by Australian umpire Darrell Hair on St Stephen's Day 1995 in Melbourne, and a short while later in a one-day match by Ross Emerson and Tony McQuillan. Emerson and McQuillan, by coincidence, are the officials for the England-Sri Lanka match, so it is crunch time for Muralitharan.

The man who destroyed England in The Oval Test last August said: "It's frustrating when you go to the ground and people are shouting at you all the time, that's maybe the most annoying thing. Other bowlers and other batsman when they hit a four or get a wicket the crowd appreciate them, but when I take a wicket it's the other way round."