Close attention: controversial Sri Lanka spinner Muthiah Muralidaran is given a police escort after arriving in Adelaide yesterday. Picture: Matt Turner
THE Sri Lanka cricket team touched down yesterday with the sport's most controversial figure, Muthiah Muralidaran, the subject of an unprecedented police escort.
The security was more in keeping with the arrival of a world leader, with a heavily armed police convoy shepherding the Sri Lankans from the terminal to their bus.
Cricket Australia and Federal Police both said the security measure was "routine", but Murali is no ordinary cricketer.
Sri Lanka coach Trevor Bayliss said the team was stunned by the level of security.
"The players certainly weren't expecting it," Bayliss said. "It was a bit of a surprise there was someone there. That (security) is part of world cricket these days and it is better to be safe than sorry."
Muralidaran has been racially abused, accused of having an illegal bowling action and has enjoyed little success on past tours of Australia.
Cricket Australia also fears the Andrew Symonds race row in India has heightened the threat of payback racial abuse for touring teams this summer.
CA public affairs manager Peter Young said he wasn't aware of any security upgrade to protect Muralidaran, but the issue would be left to the discretion of Sri Lanka team management.
While not expecting a massive security presence in Australia, Bayliss said it was the norm for touring teams in other parts of the world. "In Sri Lanka and South Africa there was 10 police cars when you travel over there," he said.
Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene and Bayliss believe Australian crowds will try to "ruin" Muralidaran, but stopped short of predicting he would be plagued by racial abuse.
"More than anything, it is about them trying to play their part in ruining the best player's performance in the Test series to help their team win," Bayliss said.
Jayawardene said Muralidaran, with 700 Test wickets, deserved better treatment from Australian crowds, having passed ICC scrutiny on an action many argue is suspect.
"Any team that comes to Australia, the crowd reacts. This time I think it will be more positive. He has gone through everything the ICC has thrown at him," Jayawardene said of Muralidaran, who was called for chucking on Sri Lanka's 1995-96 tour of Australia.
However, Australia skipper Ricky Ponting warned Muralidaran could expect a few barbs from Australian crowds.
"He hasn't played here for a while so he could expect a few more no-ball calls from the crowd," Ponting said last night.
Muralidaran was found to straighten his arm to 14 degrees -- an ICC rule change in 2005 permits bowlers to straighten their arm by 15 degrees.
Jayawardene said his star off-spinner was confident of landing telling blows in his farewell Test trip here.
"He is pretty geared up. He feels Australia is one of the places he has to challenge him. He has played a lot against them in Sri Lanka but hasn't played that much in Australia," Jayawardene said.
"This is one probably one of the places he has to prove he is one of the top bowlers in the world. He is looking forward to the challenge."
News.com.au
