After a shrill war of words in which Muralitharan called Shane Warne a "miserable man", the two spin wizards on Thursday patched up at the unveiling ceremony.
MELBOURNE: After a shrill war of words in which Muttiah Muralitharan called Shane Warne a "miserable man", the two spin wizards on Thursday patched up at the unveiling ceremony of the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy, describing the entire episode a case of "miscommunication".
The controversy started after Warne, in his column for a newspaper, suggested that Muralitharan's action be tested in match conditions, which infuriated the Sri Lankan.
Muralitharan hit back saying that the Australian leg-spinner was "a miserable man" and threatened to snub the Warne during the trophy unveiling ceremony.
"Maybe he just doesn't want me to pass his record. Why else would he keep saying these things? I will shake his hand (at the ceremony to unveil the trophy) and go straight off the field instead of trying to be friendly," he had said.
However, the two laughed off the controversy at the function in Hobart on Thursday, saying that it was nothing more than a misunderstanding.
"There is no issue at all. I thought he said something about my bowling action and then I said he was a miserable man," Muralitharan was quoted as saying by 'The Melbourne Herald Sun'.
"We just talked to each other and patched it up. It was a miscommunication more than anything else," he added, seeking to put an end to the controversy.
Warne also clarified that he did not mean to target Muralitharan and his comment was a general suggestion, which should be considered to avoid controversies.
"I spoke to Murali about it this morning so I'm pretty happy actually, I'm not that miserable. I've got absolutely no issue with Murali and his action or anything like that," he said.
"All I've said in my column that I wrote was that commonsense should prevail. If umpires or anybody has any issue with actions, I'm not saying Murali's but anyone's in world cricket, then they should be tested in match conditions," he added.
Warne made it clear that he was not bothered by the prospect of being overtaken as the highest Test wicket-taker by Muralitharan, who is just seven shy of reaching 709 scalps.
"I've enjoyed having it (the world record). I'm happy to pass it on to Murali. I think he'll take a thousand (wickets)," he said.
Earlier, the duo unveiled the new perpetual trophy bearing their names.
A joint initiative of Cricket Australia and Sri Lanka Cricket, the trophy has been created to celebrate 25 years of Test cricket between the two countries.
It has silver casts of Warne and Muralitharan's right hands complete with cricket balls used by both men while playing for their countries.
The hands are mounted on a bur walnut finish, which sits on a gold plated bronze base. It took craftsman Flynn Silver more than 200 hours to produce the trophy.
The Warne-Muralitharan Trophy joins the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (India), The Sir Frank Worrell Trophy (West Indies), Trans Tasman Trophy (New Zealand), and Ashes (England) among the trophies contested between Australia and ICC member nations in Test cricket.
Ricky Ponting's men have already secured the inaugural Warne-Muralitharan Trophy after taking an unassailable lead in the two-match 3 mobile Test Series. This is due to Australia winning the last series 1-0 in 2004.
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