LONDON, May 17: Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who is in Australia recovering from a shoulder injury, is due to join the Sri Lanka team in England later this week, tour manager Chandra Schaffter said Thursday.

“We hope Murali will arrive in England at the end of the week,” said Schaffter. “But I don’t expect him to play until Old Trafford (where the third and final Test starts on June 13) and maybe not even then.”

Muralitharan, 30, suffered a dislocation and torn ligaments in his left shoulder during the Sharjah Cup final against Pakistan last month.

After the Test series Sri Lanka are involved in a triangular one-day tournament also featuring England and India, where Muralitharan could still take part.

Muralitharan is one of the most effective bowlers currently in world cricket.

In 73 Tests he has taken 412 wickets at an average of 23.38. He has taken five wickets in an innings 33 times and 10-wicket hauls in a match ten times.—AFP