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The series has not even begun, and, oh dear, Darren Lehmann has called Muttiah Muralitharan a f******** c****. This was in no sense a slur - the likes of which a now-contrite Lehmann used once to refer to Sri Lanka cricketers. Yet his appraisal of Murali as a fantastic coach has been received in the vein of a dirty phrase by some. With the islands greatest cricketing weapon now trained on its own team, consternation has been widespread enough for several Sri Lankan MPs to give voice to their umbrage in parliament. Perhaps we should listen to the politicians for a change, because on the subject of switching sides for the right price, these are people who know a thing or two.Murali cant take all the credit for Steve OKeefes ten-wicket haul in Australias tour match, but thanks at least in part to his work, Sri Lanka now have a second spinner to fear, in addition to Nathan Lyon, one of the best pace attacks in the world, an opposition captain averaging 60 with the bat, a middle-order batsman averaging 96, and an opener for whom boundaries flow from the bat almost as prodigiously as abuse from the lips.Sri Lanka, meanwhile, are still mired in their ever-lengthening transition, and worse, their frontline attack is mostly in triage. This will be the third consecutive Test series without Dhammika Prasads hit-the-deck intensity, thanks to a shoulder complaint. They will also have to do without Dushmantha Chameeras bouncers and bony limbs. Shaminda Eranga has been suspended for an illegal action. And legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay, who it was hoped might make a Test debut in this series, remains unavailable through a finger injury.Yet, though the team vehicle appears to be spluttering on the bumpy road to stability and competitiveness, there does appear to be mild optimism for Sri Lanka. Fittingly, it is the cricketer most shaped like a bus driver on whom much of this rests. Rangana Herath had green, unresponsive pitches to work with in England, but now, having shed the multiple jumpers, made appearances for his bank, attended a wedding or two, and spent some time with his family, he prepares to derail his sports No. 1 team on more conducive home tracks.Herath was dismayed that, through a quirk of this tours scheduling, he cannot conspire with his beloved Galle pitch to deliver Sri Lanka the initial series advantage he so often provides. But all international pitches in the country offer turn, and, for Australia, even the seam-friendly Pallekele deck may turn into a dustbowl. For a sidekick, Herath will have Dilruwan Perera, who with his classical action, modest spin and devious smarts, is virtually Heraths offspinning mirror image, right down to the being deprived of chances into his thirties because a senior spinner is already holding court.Dry decks and twin spin is the strategy the hosts will likely deploy in this series, in light of Australias failures in India and the UAE, but unlike for the other South Asian sides, the tactic is fraught with danger for Sri Lanka. Perhaps they can be excused for capitulating last year to Yasir Shah, as he is now the top-ranked bowler on the planet, but in the past 13 months, R Ashwin, Amit Mishra and even Kraigg Brathwaite have had Sri Lankan batsmen writhing on their own soil as well.Perhaps it is because Australia sense this is a series they are expected to win that their standard pre-series insult mill has, this time, been oddly inert. Often, they seem to arrive in each new country with a pre-prepared sheet of sledges to be rolled out systematically in press conferences through the tour. In Sri Lanka, only Mitchell Starc has fired a single, underwhelming shot, claiming that Angelo Mathews is under pressure after the English tour and that as a captain, hell have to go through that pressure and perform. The thing is, though, Mitchell, Mathews can only be under so much pressure, because there is no alternative choice for the captaincy, and he remains the teams best batsman. So why bother with the jibes, I guess, when reality paints an even bleaker picture? Sri Lanka have just one victory against Test-playing opposition this year, across all formats.As a result of this terrible run, Sri Lankas fans have cooled their cricketing passions, and the board has begun a concerted campaign to woo them back. There have been pleas for support from players and PR folk, some rebranding here, a little publicity stunt there. Nothing, of course, will inspire the fan-base like a series victory but, until that comes, the die-hard supporters will have to cling to the hope that rests in Herath, and at least no one can say there isnt enough of him to cling to. Air Max 2019 Clearance Sale . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. Air Max 2019 Outlet . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. http://www.airmax2019cheap.com/ . Cote was eligible to become a free agent Feb. 15. Cote helped running back Jon Cornish run for a league-high 1,813 rushing yards en route to being named the leagues most outstanding player. Discount Air Max 2019 .35 million, one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. Plouffe batted .254 with 14 home runs and 52 RBIs in 477 at-bats last season, his second as a regular in the lineup. Air Max 2019 Cheap Sale . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. Dale Benkenstein, Hampshires head coach, has left the club with immediate effect because of family pressures. He leaves Hampshire two months from the end of a season in which they lie at the foot of Division One of the Championship and have failed to qualify for the quarter-finals of the NatWest T20 Blast for the first time in eight years.Benkenstein, who led the club to two T20 Blast Finals Days and a 4-day promotion during his two-and-a-half years in charge, said I have loved every minute of my time at Hampshire. It is with genuine regret that I leave at this time but the extended periods of separation from my family responsibilities in South Africa have become increasingly more difficult for me and my wife and they need to be my priority at this time.I wish the team every success for the remainder of the season and beyond and I would like to plaace on record, my sincere thanks to Giles White and the Management team for the honourable way in which they have handled this situation.ddddddddddddhite, Hampshire director of cricket, Giles White said: We are naturally disappointed to be losing Dale at this stage of the season. However, we have been aware of the difficulties he has encountered and understand his decision to step down.He has worked tirelessly over the last two and a half seasons and we would like to thank him for all of his hard work and wish him well for the future.Hampshire have no plans for an immediate replacement. Until further notice, Dales first XI coaching responsibilities will be absorbed by the other members of the professional coaching team. 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