Muralitharan eyes world record in Warne's homeland

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COLOMBO, Jul 2 (AFP): Muttiah Muralitharan said Monday he will tour Australia later this year amid the possibility of being crowned Test cricket's most successful bowler on Shane Warne's home soil.
The Sri Lankan's 683 wickets leave him just 25 short of equalling the retired Australian leg-spinner's world record tally of 708.
With two more Tests of the ongoing home series against Bangladesh still left, the 35-year-old could head to Australia in November within striking distance of surpassing Warne.
Muralitharan said he will be available for the two Tests against the world champions in Brisbane (November 8-12) and Hobart (Nov 16- 20), and even hinted the milestone may be achieved there.
"I am looking forward to playing in the Test matches and maybe it (the record) will happen there, but the main focus is winning the series, which we have not done in Australia," he said.
Muralitharan has endured a controversial relationship with Australian cricket ever since he was called for throwing by local umpire Darrell Hair during Sri Lanka's tour Down Under in 1995- 96.
Two years later, another Australian umpire, Ross Emerson, called Muralitharan during a one-day series there, prompting a bio- mechanical analysis of his bowling action at the University of Western Australia in Perth.
The International Cricket Council cleared Muralitharan's action, but Australian crowds were unconvinced and continued to jeer the off- spinner whenever he took the field.
Muralitharan refused to play Sri Lanka's Test series in Australia in 2004 in protest at being branded a chucker by Australian Prime Minister John Howard earlier in the year.
Howard, a self-confessed "cricket tragic," said when asked if Muralitharan threw: "Yes, they proved it in Perth too with that (biomechanics video) thing."
Muralitharan confirmed he did not tour Australia in 2004 because of Howard's remarks.
"I was disappointed with what the Australian Prime Minister said," he said ahead of the second Test against Bangladesh starting at the P. Sara stadium on Tuesday, adding that he was hurt by the comments.
Muralitharan said he was ready for more taunts from Australian crowds during November's Test series.