Cricket: Muralitharan in doubt for NZ tour

COLOMBO - Spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan is in doubt for Sri Lanka's rescheduled cricket tour of New Zealand in April following medical advice.

Muralitharan faces up to 10 weeks on the sidelines after his surgeon recommended immediate surgery on his shoulder injury to avoid long-term tendon damage.

The off-spinner travelled to Melbourne to see Dr David Young, Sri Lanka Cricket's surgeon, straight after playing in the three-match tsunami fundraising series in New Zealand during which he complained of severe pain in his bowling shoulder.

When the shoulder, which was operated on last August to drain a painful cyst, was scanned, Young identified a torn muscle tendon that needed to be operated on swiftly to prevent a longer lay-off from the game.

"Murali has a torn tendon in his shoulder and he will be having surgery in the next 24-48 hours in Melbourne," said Kushil Gunasekera, Muralitharan's manager.

Muralitharan, who missed several tours in 2004 because of shoulder problems, has been told he will be out of action for another 8-10 weeks.

That could well rule him out of the two-test tour to New Zealand which includes tests starting on April 4 and April 11.

The 32-year-old will hope to be fit enough by mid-April to start his third season of county cricket in England with Lancashire.

- REUTERS