Muralitharan set to sign for Victoria Bushrangers

Melbourne, July 3 (IANS) Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan is all set to sign for Victoria Bushrangers for the Twenty20 Big Bash and play as local hero at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), the same venue where 14 years ago he was labelled a chucker by umpire Darrel Hair.

“Murali has been in touch with the authorities in Cricket Victoria, he is pretty keen to represent Victoria. If it goes through it will be great news. It will be magnificent if that happens – I think it will. It’s just a matter of signing,” Murali’s manager Kushil Gunasekera was quoted as saying by The Age.

Muralitharan, the highest wicket-taker in Tests, will be the fourth international star after Dwayne Bravo (Bushrangers), Chris Gayle (Western Australia) and Lasith Malinga (Tasmania) to sign for the Twenty20 Big Bash.

Each state can contract two foreign imports for the Big Bash.

“I’m glad that he has consented to do this. It would bring a lot of goodwill as well as put everything in the past behind him. You can’t have a bright future if you can’t forget the past,” Gunasekera added.