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Bushrangers may target Flintoff if Murali unable to commit
Tuesday, 6 October 2009 - 9:58 AM SL Time
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Andrew Flintoff has emerged as a potential target for Australian outfit the Victorian Bushrangers for the upcoming Twenty20 Big Bash should Muttiah Muralitharan miss the competition through international commitments.
Sri Lanka spinner Muralitharan, the all-time leading wicket-taker in Test and one-day international cricket, was recently announced as Victoria s marquee signing for the competition, which runs from December 28 to late January 2010.
But the possibility that Sri Lanka could contest a tri-series with India and Bangladesh early in the new year has cast doubt over the 37-year-old s availability.
Coach Greg Shipperd denied the Bushrangers had been caught out by the potential clash of schedules.
`We were aware, you do have a futures tour programme and it (the sub-continental tri-series) was there,` said Shipperd.
`But with the flexibility of tours being pulled out and put back in, I think we took an educated risk to name him now and if it comes off then we ve certainly lost nothing.
`If he s unavailable then certainly we ll go looking for an adequate replacement and there ll be lots out there.`
Asked whether England all-rounder Flintoff, who retired from Test cricket after the Ashes series to concentrate on the shorter forms of the game, would be a potential target, Shipperd said: `Every player that s playing at the moment that s fit and available would be a possibility for us.
`Murali s obviously our first choice but Flintoff as well would be welcome in any team across the world.
`Victoria is well-known for its strategy and we have lots of plans behind the scenes.`
Flintoff is currently recovering from more knee surgery.
In June the Bushrangers announced they had secured West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo as the first of their two overseas signings for the Twenty20 Big Bash.
Should the arrangement with Murali fall through, Victoria have until December 24 to recruit a second overseas player.
Two other Sri Lankans have been signed up to compete in the Big Bash, Lasith Malinga for Tasmania and Ajantha Mendis for South Australia.
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