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LANCASHIRE moved swiftly last night to deny reports that off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan would be prevented by the Sri Lankan Board from playing county cricket this summer.

``I know the boy is really keen to come, and I'm sure he will honour his contract with us,'' said Lancashire's coach Dav Whatmore, who knows Muralitharan well from the time he coached Sri Lanka in the last World Cup.

``I've spoken to him several times in the last week and I think it's a bit of a storm in a tea-cup,'' said Whatmore, adding that Muralitharan was committed to play for Lancashire from the time Sri Lanka's involvement in this summer's World Cup finishes that could be as late as the final on June 20 - until the start of September, when Sri Lanka begin a three-Test series against Australia.

An agency report from Australia quoted Thilanga Sumathipala, the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka, as saying that the Board wanted Muralitharan to rest. The bowler is also due to have an operation on his right shoulder.

However, Muralitharan has already signed for Lancashire, while his current contract with the Sri Lankan Board is due to expire on Feb 20. As Muralitharan's bowling is indispensable to Sri Lanka, and their chances of retaining the World Cup would be minimal without him, he is likely to be granted his wish of playing 10 or so weeks of county cricket in return for an enormous pay-day by Sri Lankan standards.

The Board's wish to dictate to Muralitharan has to be seen in the context of the highly charged atmosphere since Ross Emerson no-balled him for throwing and Sri Lanka's captain, Arjuna Ranatunga, was given a six-match suspended sentence. Sri Lanka became a Test nation in 1982 and, like most 17 year-olds, are keen not to be seen being pushed around.