MELBOURNE — Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan has signed to play with Victorian Bushrangers in Australia's Big Bash Twenty20 competition, team officials said on Wednesday.

The record Test wicket-taker joins West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo at the Melbourne-based team, who are aiming for a fourth national title.

"Murali is without peer in terms of current spinners in world cricket and a true legend of the game," said Cricket Victoria chief Tony Dodemaide.

"It is fitting that Murali comes to Victoria to continue the outstanding legacy of Shane Warne, the man whom he surpassed to take the mantle of greatest Test wicket-taker, and who reignited the art of spin bowling."

Murali, with 777 Test wickets to his name, said he was relishing the prospect of playing at Australian sports temple the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

"What a thrill it will be to play in front of a home crowd at the mighty MCG, representing Victoria in a strong competition," he said.

"It's an exciting prospect and a great honour, and I look forward to playing my part in the Bushrangers' team and hopefully entertaining Victorian and Australian fans."

AFP

AUSTRALIA's long search for a spin bowler who commands automatic selection is set to continue before the home Test series against the West Indies.

Captain Ricky Ponting has admitted it was a mistake not to play offspinner Nathan Hauritz in the fifth Test at the Oval where England won the Ashes.

And Australia coach Tim Nielsen acknowledges the fact no spinner has cemented a place is an on-going problem.

"I think we've shown our hand there a little bit haven't we?" said Nielsen as the limited-overs squad travelled to Edinburgh for a one-day tour match against Scotland.

"We've probably shown by our selections and by the way we've tried players that we would love to have a spinner that is a natural pick and maybe that's something we'll keep considering and keep talking about."

The dust is starting to settle on the Ashes. England and Australia will begin to look ahead, learn some lessons and work out the best way forward. What went right, what went wrong, who did well and whose position in the team is under threat? Then for England, there’s one special question: how to replace Andrew Flintoff?

I hope that Stuart Broad isn’t going to be labelled with the tag of “next Freddie”. That won’t help anybody, least of all Broad. He seems to have his feet on the ground and there is no doubt about his promise. But I think England may have another stronger candidate waiting to fill that all-rounder’s role.

Broad first. For now, he strikes me as more of a No 8 batsman than a seven. It was interesting to hear him say that himself yesterday. That one place makes a big difference. At seven, you are expected to score runs. When Broad was there in the first innings at Headingley, he didn’t perform. Some of the pressure is off at eight.

He could certainly fill that slot looking farther ahead. If he wants to be an all-rounder, he should play a few games for Nottinghamshire as a specialist batsman at No 4 or five to get into the mindset. A large part of county cricket is about producing England players, and this would hold him in great stead.