March 02, 2008	Sunday	Safar 23, 1429

MELBOURNE, March 1: It was the scene of the lowest point of his career, but Sri Lankan star Muttiah Muralitharan said his one regret about playing cricket in Australia was that he did not perform better at Test level.

Muralitharan and fellow veteran Sanath Jayasuriya, bid farewell to Australia as international cricketers in Friday’s tri-series clash with the home side at the MCG.

The Australian team formed a guard of honour for each player as they came out to bat and although the match carried little weight, with Sri Lanka missing the finals, Muralitharan and Jayasuriya went out on a winning note, the tourists recording a remarkable 13-run victory.

Both veterans played key roles in the result, Muralitharan bowling superbly and picking up two crucial wickets, while Jayasuriya secured the win when he bowled Brett Lee with his first ball when brought on in the 49th over.

Muralitharan, 35, said he bore no grudges against Australian cricket, despite being called for throwing in Melbourne in the 1995 Boxing Day Test and also later in Adelaide.

However, he said he would always regret not performing with more distinction in Australia in Test cricket.

“Sometime there were ups and downs in Australia, but still I enjoyed my cricket here,” he said here after Friday’s game.

“The Boxing Day was most memorable time for me, it was hard. “I got over it, but still I want to play after that in Australia.

“So I tried to perform, but the only country I couldn’t really perform in Tests was Australia.—AFP