Melbourne, Feb 26: Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne has been honing a new delivery during his year-long ban and says he will surprise Muttiah Muralitharan and the rest of the Sri Lankans with it in next month's Test cricket series. Warne, with 491 wickets in 107 Tests, and Muralitharan, 485 wickets in 85 Tests, are racing to become the most successful bowler ever in Test cricket. Retired West Indies paceman Courtney Walsh holds the record with 519 wickets.
Warne, reacting to reports that Muralitharan has been working on a new type of delivery, said he has got a fresh addition to his own bowling repertoire.
"He's talked about a lot of different deliveries, but I might have a new one up my sleeve," Warne was quoted as saying in Melbourne's Herald-Sun newspaper.
"There's something I've been working on. I haven't shown it in any of the games since I came back. I'm saving it for the Test series, if I get picked.
"It's something I've changed my grip with and I'm sure if I land them like I have been while working on it by myself, I think it will be very handy."
Warne was banned for 12 months in February 2003 after testing positive to a banned diuretic in an out-of-competition test. He was selected for the three-Test series in Sri Lanka next month after limited appearances for Victoria state in the Australian domestic competition.
Bureau Report