Cricket-Jayawardene calls on team to support Muralitharan

BIRMINGHAM, England, May 28 (Reuters) Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene called on his team today to offer more support to Muttiah Muralitharan, who claimed 10 wickets in the second test loss to England.

Sri Lanka, who were bowled out in their second innings for 231, lost by six wickets today's fourth afternoon to trail 1-0 in the three-match series.

Muralitharan caused some panic in the England dressing room by sending four England batsmen back to the pavilion to finish with figures of four for 29 and 10 for 115 in the match.

It was the 15th occasion that Muralitharan has claimed 10 wickets in a test, a proud achievement for the 34-year-old who has said this will be his last test tour to England.

The spinner now has 624 wickets and remains the second-highest wicket-taker in test history behind Australia's Shane Warne.

Jayawardene blamed the batsmen, particularly in the first innings when they were bowled out for 141, for not giving Muralitharan enough runs to bowl at in the fourth innings.

''He's still doing the job for us,'' Jayawardene told a news conference after the match. ''Whenever he's been thrown a challenge he wants to rise up to that occasion, especially with the young bowling attack.

''If we can give him some more help he'll definitely be much more dangerous. He's bowling with a lot of heart and character and he wants to improve, which is excellent.'' Muralitharan's good friend from county team Lancashire and England captain Andrew Flintoff was full of admiration for the way Muralitharan continues to improve.

''I've played with and against him and the one thing I noticed at Lancashire when I played with him, he was always trying to improve and learn something new,'' Flintoff said.

''We played a few games where the batters were kicking him (away) so in the next 2-1/2 hours he developed a flipper so they couldn't do it.

''Murali is always trying to get better and always trying to get one over on the batter. When you play him it probably does get slightly easier but every ball is a real test and an event.

''His doosra is a problem and so too are his off-spinners. He's got all the balls and can do pretty much what he wants, (though) it's not about him having them, it is how he uses them and the accuracy with which he lands them.'' REUTERS CH PM2220