The Sri Lankan, no-balled for throwing by three umpires on his last visit to Australia three years ago but subsequently untroubled around the world, will come face to face with two of his tormentors on Saturday knowing that other Australian umpires have privately voiced concerns about his action on this trip.

Terry Prue and Simon Taufel, who officiated in Sri Lanka's defeat by Australia in Sydney last Wednesday, expressed reservations about Murali in their report to match referee Peter van der Merwe and the pressure is growing on the International Cricket Council to act before the off-spinner is forced to undergo more public humiliation.

Yet the ICC distanced themselves from the affair yesterday when they released a statement saying that while they may have given Murali the go-ahead in the past, that was based on video evidence at the time and should not be taken as an indefinite blessing on his action. Basically, they are saying that if Australian umpires want to call him they will not stop them.

The crunch could come - if he gets through Tuesday's match against England in Melbourne - at Adelaide on Saturday. Ross Emerson and Tony McQuillan, who between them called Murali seven times for throwing during a one-day international against the West Indies at The Gabba in 1996, are due to stand when Sri Lanka face England again.

``The ICC advisory panel on throwing may have looked at Murali's action in the past but it is the next ball that counts,'' said South Africa's Van der Merwe at the MCG on Friday.

One thing in Murali's favour could be that Michael Holding, an influential member of the ICC throwing committee, is known to be satisfied with his action.

Stand-in captain Sanath Jayasuriya hit 86 from 62 balls as Sri Lanka scored a comfortable 63-run win over the Australian Country XI in their one-day cricket match in Barooga. Sri Lanka, who rested Muralitharan, managed 285 while the Australian Country XI were bowled out for 222.