Australian coach Darren Lehmann is looking to bolster the support around his group of match-winning fast bowlers with the appointment of another high-profile spin coach ahead of the team’s October tour against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.
Former Australian Test nemesis Muttiah Muralitharan was announced as Lehmann’s latest expert coaching consultant on Tuesday and has already hit the nets with the Nathan Lyon-led spin core, currently training Muralitharan’s native Sri Lanka.
“Muthiah Muralidaran is a true great of the game and his involvement with the Australian team will bring enormous benefits. He really understands the conditions we’ll face and will be able to impart a great amount of knowledge,” Lehmann said.
“Not only will he help guide our spinners during that tour, but he will also work with our batsman to help them prepare to play Pakistan’s dangerous spin bowlers.
Test cricket’s greatest wicket taker is the latest big name part-time coaching acquisition under Lehmann, an emerging trend since coming into the job in June last year, after former Australian spin legend Shane Warne joined the squad for the side’s thrilling 2-1 Test series win in South Africa and the disappointing run at T20 World Cup last March.
“As we’ve shown in recent times we’ll bring in dedicated skill-specific coaching consultants to our support staff as and when we see fit. That means having more regular support from technical experts to help work on specific areas of performance,” Lehmann continued.
“Most recently we had Shane Warne join us in South Africa, and throughout the Australian summer we had a range of former Australian players around the team during the Test series to help impart specialist knowledge. This time around we are fortunate enough to have Muthiah work with us.”
The 42-year-old Muralitharan was once a despised target of Aussie analysts and fans for his controversial bowling form, but all appears to be forgotten thanks to his 800 career wickets over 18 years playing for Sri Lanka and his experience in and against subcontinent nations, expected to better prepare the spinners in the lead-up to the October series.
“I’m very much excited; I know the Australian team is a very good side, but hopefully I can have a little bit of input to help them do well in the series against Pakistan,” he said.
“Those conditions might help spinners and I know a few tricks that might help them on what to do as I have played a lot of matches in those conditions in the UAE and hopefully I can help them a little bit.
“Nathan Lyon has been bowling brilliantly but hopefully I can help him a little bit on how to bowl in these subcontinent conditions, on how to use the conditions and how to setup the field; I have bowled to most of the Pakistani batsman in the past so hopefully I can help a bit.”
Session two with Murali underway in Colombo. CA’s new consultant working with @NathLyon421 #AussieMurali pic.twitter.com/1jP9p05Jo4
— Matt Cenin (@Matt_Cenin) June 18, 2014
Photo: William West/AFP/Getty Images
