Malinga rules out return to Test cricket

Lasith Malinga has ruled out returning to play for Sri Lanka in the Test series against Australia after recording the second-best figures in world Twenty20 history.

The Sri Lankan speedster with the unique slinging action was at his devasting best when he took six wickets for seven runs off four amazing overs to spearhead Melbourne Stars to a 10-wicket victory over Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League at the WACA on Wednesday night.

It ensured the Scorchers were bowled out for just 69, the lowest score in Australian domestic T20.

Malinga's 6-7 is the second-best spell of bowling in Twenty20 cricket at first-class level in the world, only bettered by Arul Suppiah's 6-5 for Somerset against Glamorgan in July 2011 and it knocks off Michael Dighton's 6-25 as the best figures in Australian T20 cricket.

Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene has resisted the temptation of recalling Malinga to beef up an inexperienced seam-bowling line-up for the first Test against Australia starting on Friday in Hobart.

Jayawardene said the team would not be pursuing Malinga to break his Test retirement to bolster the Sri Lanka attack which former Australian fast bowler Rodney Hogg rubbished as the "worst ever" to come to Australia.

"Lasith has made up his mind. I think with his injuries in the last two or three years it's pretty unfair of us to ask him to come and play Test cricket," he told a press conference on the eve of the match.

Nuwan Kulasekara, Shaminda Eranga and Chanaka Welegedara have only 38 Tests and 99 wickets between them.

Malinga, who is vice-captain of the Sri Lanka team in the shorter formats of the game, has no thoughts of going back on his retirement from the long form of the game.

He last played a Test for Sri Lanka against India in August 2010 and, while he won't be there against Australia, he's confident the Sri Lankans can do well.

"The thing is that I'm retired already and I have concentrated on T20 and ODI, and that's it," Malinga was quoted as saying by AAP.

"We have good young bowlers in the side now and the best option to Sri Lanka is to introduce new fast bowlers.

"Sri Lanka are a good side and a fighting side, and they will give it a good fight but the Aussies are a good side as well.

"I think they (Sri Lanka) can (win the series). Most of the time the best team wins in Test match cricket, but they will give it a good fight."
 

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