Murali may miss warm-up game

Star bowler Muttiah Muralidaran is expected to be rested for Sri Lanka's final warm-up match ahead of next week's first cricket Test against Australia at the Gabba here.
Captain Mahela Jayawardene indicated the spin wizard would sit out the three-day game with Queensland starting on Friday after his marathon bowling stint against the Cricket Australia Chairman's XI at Adelaide Oval.
Muralidaran, nine wickets away from outstripping Shane Warne's Test record of 708, proved his fitness from a bicep injury with 4-122 off 44 overs in Monday's drawn three-day match.
A team spokesman said a final decision on Muralidaran's availability was yet to be made after the Sri Lankan team arrived here Tuesday.
But Jayawardene hinted that Muralidaran was likely to miss Friday's game as the tourists look to ease their trump card into the two-Test series starting at the Gabba on November 8.
"If he continues the practice and all that, if he's happy with his rhythm we'll probably keep him out," Jayawardene told reporters.
"So if Murali feels that he'll probably need another match before the Test match we'll consider that, but if not we'll probably keep him out."
There are no fitness concerns for Muralidaran after he sent down 25 overs on Sunday and another 19 Monday in his first game back since injuring his bicep playing for English county Lancashire in August.
Fears have been voiced he could receive unsportsmanlike treatment in Australia, where he has been called for "throwing" on two previous tours and subjected to constant crowd calls of "no ball."
Meanwhile, the team spokesman confirmed vice-captain Kumar Sangakkara (hamstring) would miss the Queensland match.
"He is getting better but he is definitely out of the tour match against Queensland," the team spokesman said.
Replacement Sujeewa de Silva has been sought for left-arm pace bowler Chanaka Welagedara (thigh), who bowled only six overs (1-23) against the Chairman's XI.
De Silva played in the last Test series against Bangladesh in July and has been called over from Zimbabwe where he is playing with the Sri Lanka A side.