November 21 Thursday 2002
Muralitharan to undergo surgery

COLOMBO: Muttiah Muralitharan is to undergo a hernia operation, making him a doubt for a one-day international tournament in Australia next month. "His availability for the Australia tour will depend on his speed of recovery," Sri Lanka's cricket board said in a statement on Wednesday. 

The off spinner has flown from South Africa, where he played in Sri Lanka's 2-0 test series defeat, to Australia for surgery. He had already been ruled out of the five-match one-day series against South Africa. Sri Lanka take part in a triangular series in Australia in mid-December, an event also including England.