Batting against Muttiah Muralitharan, Off break Doosras and Don’ts below, is often an exercise in damage limitation. The Sri Lanka off-spinner Right-handers Right-handers Left-handers needs only five scalps to pass Shane 1 Move across the 2 Nimble footwork will go a The sweep should be avoided because Murali’s wrist The doosra becomes less dangerous because stumps and hit to leg long way to nullifying the action generates dip or bounce off the pitch. A it comes into the left-handers, making it easier Warne’s all-time record of 708 Test with the spin, effects of the spin. Most dipping ball could slip under the bat and on to the to play the slog sweep because you are playing wickets and will probably do so against especially if the ball is batsman agree that stumps. Bounce can mean a top edge to a fielder with the spin England in the first Test at Kandy this a little short of a attacking Murali upsets his weekend. However, some batsmen, length. Of course there rhythm, so coming down particularly the Australians, have is still the doosra to the pitch or slog-sweeping worry about can rattle him lessened the risks posed by one of the greatest bowlers in the history of cricket by playing shots that minimise the danger of his prodigious spin and variety of delivery. England’s batsmen would do well to learn the lessons of Ricky Ponting, Mike Hussey and Phil Jaques Move across the wicket Move down the wicket Left-handers Extra bounce means 3 Against his usual 4 Brian Lara was a top edge delivery left-handers find successful playing this it easier to stride forward way and others have and pad the ball away tried to emulate him. because the ball pitches Frustrating Murali can outside their leg stump, make him bowl short, making it hard to get an to which the batsman lbw decision can play a cut shot Extra dip means you could be bowled.