"Far from smoking the peace pipe with Australian crowds, Muttiah Muralitharan ought to go on the offensive," writes Peter Roebuck in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Murali can go further in advancing his cause. Sometimes it is not enough to be polite. After all, he is visiting the country where he has suffered his worst experiences, the country where his action has been condemned on the field, the land where his most outspoken critics can be found. Moreover, he has not played Test cricket hereabouts for 12 years and is a few wickets shy of replacing the local champion at the top of the rankings. He is entitled to feel as relaxed as a lobster at lunchtime.