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English county, Lancashire has decided to sign Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan for another season, according to latest reports from Manchester.

The extraordinary performances of the 27-year-old Sri Lankan champion off-spinner has inspired the cricket committee of the Lancashire County Cricket Club to sign him for a second successive season. The decision, subject to the approval of the Sri Lanka Cricket Board, is to be formally ratified by Lancashire's general committee on August 1.

Reports said Lancashire chairman Jack Simmons has praised Muralitharan's efforts before the Old Trafford county officials decided to have the bowler for another season. The future of skipper John Crawley, all-rounder Andy Flintoff and a number of other younger players too had been discussed at the meeting.

Lancashire has virtually agreed a new deal for the Sri Lankan spinner to return to Old Trafford for the 2000 summer too, subject to the approval of the Sri Lanka Cricket Board.

The only possible problem could be in getting the green light from the Sri Lanka Cricket Board because the 2000 English summer could overlap with Sri Lanka's proposed three-Test series against South Africa next July.

As he did in 1999 summer with a late return to Lancashire after the World Cup tournament, Muralitharan could be able to make a slight adjustment and give preference to national duty and still make use of the Lancashire's second offer. However, Lancashire officials are keen to have Muralitharan for the full season and play him in as many matches as possible.

Replacing Pakistan captain Wasim Akram as their overseas player for the 1999 summer, Muralitharan made a dream debut in the English county championship registering a match bag of 14 wickets in the first ever game against Warwickshire.

Since then, the English county championship batsmen had no answer whatsoever with Muralitharan's deadly off breaks, which was a blessing for Lancashire.

In just four English county championship matches, Muralitharan has captured 47 wickets. Sending down 295.2 overs, of which 96 were maidens, Muralitharan has accounted for 47 wickets giving away just 581 runs with an amazing average of 12.36 (strike rate 37.2) - a great achievement by any standards. What is more significant in Muralitharan's performances is that he has accounted for match bags of ten wickets or more in all four matches he has played so far. He has also captured five wickets for Lancashire in limited over cricket.

Muralitharan also accounts for a new record of 63 wickets in his last five first class matches on English soil, including the 16 he had in Sri Lanka's one-off Test win over England at the London Oval last summer.

Only the second Sri Lankan Test cricketer to figure in English county cricket after master batsman Aravinda de Silva (Kent), Muralitharan is undoubtedly the most successful bowler that Sri Lanka has ever produced. In 42 Tests, Muralitharan has captured 203 wickets at an average of 26.90. His wicket haul in 115 one day internationals is 157 at average of 27.88.