DARWIN, June 30: Shane Warne's world record bid is threatening to overshadow the two-Test series between Australia and Sri Lanka starting on Thursday. Australia's leg-spinner Warne has taken 517 wickets, 10 shy of Muttiah Muralitharan's world mark.

However, the Sri Lanka off-spinner has withdrawn from the Australia tour for personal reasons. This has left Warne with an opportunity to carve out his own moment in Test history in the unlikely settings of the tropical northern cities of Darwin and Cairns.

Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu told a news conference on Wednesday Warne had bowled brilliantly in Sri Lanka, where he took 26 wickets in the three-match series in March.

"That was a dream comeback tour for him (from a 12-month doping ban)," Atapattu said. "He has troubled most batsmen in world cricket. We normally play spin well. I think if we live up to our reputation, we'll do well here."

But Sri Lanka's Australian coach John Dyson is one who believes Warne cannot reproduce that wicket-taking form here. "Warne bowled superbly in Sri Lanka, you couldn't ask for a better comeback. But I have to ask: can he bowl as well as that throughout another two games?" Dyson told reporters.

"I think it's very difficult to bowl as well as he did in that series continuously. I know he's a great bowler, everyone knows that, but he bowled superbly in Sri Lanka and I don't think this pitch or the one in Cairns will give him as much help."

Atapattu added that Muralitharan's absence was a massive blow for the team's attack. "Obviously it is a bit difficult because Murali has been carrying our bowling. We haven't played a Test match without Murali for a long, long time (July 2002)," he said.

Muralitharan, 32, pulled out of the Australia tour earlier this month following an investigation into his bowling action that prompted Australia Prime Minister John Howard to call him a "chucker".

Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who made his debut as skipper in March when they beat Sri Lanka 3-0, will also be missing from the first Test because of a family death. Wicket-keeper/batsman Adam Gilchrist leads the side and former Australia opener Matthew Elliott, who won the last of his 20 Test caps five years ago, replaces Ponting at number three.

Gilchrist said the Australians would not be altering their tactics in a bid to help Warne break the record. "If you can achieve these personal milestones within our game plan, that's great.

Warney is talented enough to do it," Gilchrist told a news conference. Australia have named Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz in a three-pronged pace attack.

Sri Lanka's seam bowling will rely heavily on left-armer Chaminda Vaas. Darwin, the heartland of Australia's Aboriginal community, will host a Test match for only the second time. Australia played Bangladesh there last year.

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