BIRMINGHAM (England), May 29: Sri Lanka are still clinging to the hope that Muttiah Muralitharan will be fit to weave some of his magic in the second Test against England at Edgbaston starting on Thursday.

Off-spinner Muralitharan, who has captured 412 wickets in his 73 Tests, has not played since suffering a ligament tear and partial dislocation in his left shoulder during a limited overs tournament in Sharjah last month.

Sri Lanka coach Dav Whatmore said on Wednesday: “He is going to have a session (in the nets) this afternon and after that there will be another assessment. Based on the information we get, the selectors will make a decision (on whether he plays).”

Captain Sanath Jayasuriya said: “I would love to play Murali but we also have to think that if he got injured again he could be out for three to four months.

“He is ready to play and he is the type of character who always wants to play but unfortunately it is beyond his control.”

Muralitharan was certainly missed in the drawn first Test at Lord’s where the touring team’s attack lacked a cutting edge in the second innings as England, forced to follow on 280 behind, responded by piling up 529 for five declared.

One of the touring team’s main concerns is that if their potential match winner should fall heavily while fielding it could compound his injury problems.

Another Sri Lankan bowler under the microscope, but for other reasons, is left-arm seamer Ruchira Perera, who was reported to the International Cricket Council (ICC) for a suspect action by umpires Srinivas Venkataraghavan of India and Australia’s Daryl Harper after the Lord’s test.

Perera can still play while he is working with Australian specalist bowling advisor Daryl Foster, but Whatmore said: “Anybody in his situation would have some effect on the team but we are all keen to see him make his re-entry into international cricket as son as possible.

“If we feel that some of the things he has been doing suggest he is going to be okay, then we will play him.”

England too have bowling problems, albeit of a different sort.

On a flat-wicket at Lord’s their four-man pace attack lacked the skill to disturb Sri Lanka’s strokeplayers as they piled up 555 for eight declared.

Hussain berated his bowlers for their lack of discipline and also said there was a lack of “mystery” among English bowlers as a whole.

England have chosen uncapped Glamorgan quick Simon Jones in their 14-man squad but it is Surrey’s Alex Tudor who is most likely to provide an injection of extra pace into the final XI.

Dominic Cork is reportedly still struggling with a groin strain and Tudor, whose own injury problems appear to have been succesfully treated at last following diagnosis of a ‘hot-spot’ near his groin, appears to be the obvious replacement.

“He has a good chance of playing here and it’s up to Alex really,” said Hussain.

Left-arm spinner Ashley Giles, omitted from Lord’s, could play on his home ground if England decide to do without a seventh specialist\ batsman.—Reuters/AFP