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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Pata" data-source="post: 894092" data-attributes="member: 2136">JON PIERIK SYDNEYOctober 26, 2007 02:15amAUSTRALIAN captain Ricky Ponting has warned his team-mates not to become "Murali-centric" for fear of underestimating Sri Lanka's potent pace attack.While the Australians are confident they still have the arsenal to dislodge any batting line-up, the Sri Lankans will boast the more experienced attack this summer now that Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath have retired.Muttiah Muralitharan needs only nine victims to become the greatest wicket-taker of all-time, and his figures shadow those of spinning counterpart, Stuart MacGill.The fiery leg-spinner will step up his preparations in NSW's Pura Cup clash against Queensland at the SCG, beginning today, after confirming yesterday he had recovered from a knee injury.Sri Lanka will also possess a far more well-credentialed pace line-up, with veteran spearhead Chaminda Vaas having more wickets (319) than the combined haul of Australia's expected speed blitz of Brett Lee (231), Stuart Clark (47) and the uncapped Mitchell Johnson.If round-arm slinger Lasith Malinga (83) and the strongly-built Dilhara Fernando (77) team up with left-armer Vaas and Muralitharan, the tourists will have a considerable advantage in experience of 153 Tests and 703 wickets.Ponting believes the tall Fernando, who can notch speeds of more than 145kmh, will be a danger on Brisbane and Hobart wickets which should suit his pace and bounce."I watched a fair bit of the one-day series they played against England in Sri Lanka (last month) and he looks like he is in good form at the moment," Ponting said yesterday at the launch of his latest tour diary."He looks like he has got his confidence up."Australian batsman Mike Hussey also regards Fernando, who is expected to be used at first change, as one of the big improvers."I think he is one of the most improved bowlers in the world, he is a big, strong guy, runs in all day and is very disciplined," he said."They have got great variety in somebody like Malinga who gives that x-factor, much like Shaun Tait."They have got a brilliantly rounded attack and lots of variety and I think it's going to provide a huge challenge for our batting."Muralitharan captured 28 wickets when the sides last met in a Test series in Sri Lanka three years ago.While his figures were ultimately impressive, he struggled to dislodge Australia's top-order and the tourists completed a 3-0 series rout.If the world champion can handle Sri Lanka's speedsters, it will put more pressure on Muralitharan."We'll do our best to play him as well as we can," Ponting said."He has actually come out and said he feels Australian batsmen play him better than any other." But that doesn't mean he won't have a good series."</blockquote>

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