COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's record-breaking spinner Muttiah Muralitharan launched a blistering attack Monday on his former bosses after they complained about his behaviour in his new role as a mentor to Australia.
After his former employers said Muralitharan was damaging his legacy, the 44-year-old accused Sri Lanka's board of setting him up as a fall guy if the hosts lose a series to the visiting Australians.
And Muralitharan, the highest wicket-taker in Test history, then accused the board president of knowing nothing about cricket and angrily denounced any suggestion of being "a traitor".
"If Sri Lanka loses, they (the board) will say it is because of Murali," he said in a recorded statement which was sent to AFP.
"They have no right to accuse me of being a traitor. Have they done one hundredth of what I have contributed to cricket in Sri Lanka?
"This is a political game to cover their shortcomings," he added. "I am being used as a pawn to cover their failings."
His outburst was sparked by a complaint by the board that he had bullied groundsmen into letting the Australians practise on the pitch which hosts the opening match in a three-Test series from Tuesday.
Cricket Australia confirmed they received a complaint about the incident at Pallekele Stadium, on the outskirts of Kandy, but said the issue had been resolved "after discussions between the two management teams".
In lodging the complaint, board president Thilanga Sumathipala accused Muralitharan of insulting Sri Lanka team manager Charith Senanayake.
"Muralitharan's behaviour is unacceptable and we have brought this to the notice of the Australian team management," Sumathipala told reporters.
"It should not have happened. We are very disappointed."
Muralitharan is a hero in Sri Lanka after taking 800 Test wickets before retiring six years ago.
But his decision to impart his local knowledge to the tourists has raised eyebrows, not least because he was once labelled a "chucker" by Australia's then-prime minister John Howard.
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