No special Murali protection programme

Cricket Australia today denied introducing special security measures to protect Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan...

Cricket Australia CA today denied introducing special security measures to protect Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan from crowds Down Under, saying existing measures would catch any offenders.

Muralitharan arrived this week for his first full Australia Test tour in 12 years, braced for a chilly reception from fans as he bids to break local hero Shane Warne8217;s Test wicket record. His arrival on Wednesday raised eyebrows when a federal police officer escorted him through the media throng in Adelaide, unusual in laid-back Australia, where England players last year often mingled freely with fans.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported today that plainclothes security officers would be sent to sections of Australian grounds near Muralitharan8217;s fielding positions to swiftly identify and eject trouble-makers. There are fears the Sri Lankan could receive unsportsmanlike treatment in Australia, where he has been called for 8220;throwing8221; on two previous tours and subjected to constant crowd calls of 8220;no ball8221;.

Sensitivities about crowd behaviour in Australia are particularly high after the recent one-day series in India, when the only black player in the Australian side, Andrew Symonds, was subjected to racist chants.

Muralitharan boycotted a 2004 tour to Australia because of constant crowd abuse about his bowling action 8212; and Australian Prime Minister John Howard8217;s assertion that he was a 8220;chucker8221;.

Cricket Australia said its existing crowd monitoring programme, introduced after South African players were racially abused two years ago, would protect Muralitharan.

8220;There8217;s not a specific Muralitharan protection programme,8221; Cricket Australia public affairs manager Peter Young said.

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8220;But we have a national programme to ensure that we have a family-friendly environment in cricket, and as part of that we do have plainclothes people in crowds.

8220;We also have closed circuit television and any spectator who subjects a player to inappropriate behaviour will be detected and ejected very, very quickly,8221; Young added.

Murali needs just nine wickets to overhaul Warne8217;s 708 Test scalps from the two matches in Brisbane and Hobart starting on November 8 and 16.