Tensions simmer in series

Team captains will be keen to keep a lid on hostilities

By Scott Heinrich BBC Sport Online

The VB Series that begins in Australia this weekend should come with a health warning such is the potential for fireworks.

The one-day tournament brings together three teams with no shortage of contempt for each other.

As if the age-old rivalry between Australia and England wasn't enough, Sri Lanka's presence makes the mix all the more explosive.

I never thought about not coming to Australia

Muttiah Muralitharan

Controversy has defined Sri Lanka's recent clashes with England and Australia, leaving relations soured and reputations at stake.

The grudge between Australia and Sri Lanka is a deep-seated one - and unsurprisingly Muttiah Muralitharan is at the core.

Murali, the jewel in Sri Lanka's cricketing crown, was twice officially branded a chucker in Australia - and the indignity has left its mark.

In the festive setting of Boxing Day 1995, Aussie umpire Darrell Hair made a name for himself by calling the off-spinner seven times.

The most talked about action in world cricket

It was the second of three losing Tests for Sri Lanka, and in the first they had to contend with allegations of ball-tampering.

It was all too much for the visitors to take, and several on-field remonstrations led Australia to threaten a boycott of their scheduled World Cup game in Colombo if Sri Lanka didn't behave.

Muralitharan played next to no part in the triangular one-day series that followed after being repeatedly no-balled for throwing by Ross Emerson in the first game.

The conflict peaked in the final between the two teams when, after a match tainted by verbal and physical confrontations, Sri Lanka refused to shake hands with Aussie skipper Mark Taylor.

We want to focus on the games in hand and not think about the past

Sri Lanka tour manager Ajit Jayasekera

With that an outraged Sri Lanka set off for home, leaving Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath to deal with anonymous death threats.

In cricketing terms, Sri Lanka got their own back by beating Australia in the 1996 World Cup final. But that high-octane contest only served to heighten rivalry between the two.

As malevolant as Sri Lanka's 1995 tour had been, nobody was prepared for the bedlam that erupted on their 1998/99 visit.

In a one-day match against England at Adelaide, Muralitharan was again called for throwing by the very same Emerson - standing at square leg.

Ranatunga argues with Emerson in Adelaide

Furious Sri Lanka skipper Arjuna Ranatunga marshalled his troops and led them off the field.

The game eventually resumed, but afterwards there were numerous quarrels between opposing players as tensions increased.

Ranatunga had the book thrown at him by the International Cricket Council, but got off lightly after his lawyers contended suspension would be restraint of trade.

It took the war off the cricket gound and into the boardroom, and inadvertently dragged England into the mire.

When Nasser Hussain's men toured Sri Lanka in 2000/01, the two teams could not get past the opening tour game before tempers flared.

Darren Gough was reported for abusive language and Ruchira Perera supposedly hurled racist abuse at Craig White, though it was thought the Yorkshireman's surname led to a misunderstanding.

They can't question me anymore, in my mind, because it's gone

Muttiah Muralitharan

In the first Test, Andrew Caddick and Aravinda de Silva were told to watch their behaviour and a string of dubious umpiring decisions did nothing to quell disquiet.

As for Muraliutharan, Australia have not dropped the debate over his action despite it being cleared by the ICC.

Emerson has publicly questioned the bowler, and Adam Gilchrist recently made a faux pax for which he was made to apologise after similarly disparaging comments.

Despite it all - or because of it - Murali has become one of the all-time greats - and he will as usual be Sri Lanka's wild card once he enters the tournament after Christmas.

Chances are he won't be the only thing wild.