Controversial offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan has found an ally in old foe Steve Waugh in his latest brush with cricket administrators.

The ICC ordered Muralitharan to undergo rigorous testing and remedial work and the Sri Lanka cricket board appointed Bruce Elliott, a biomechanist at the University of West Australia, to analyse the ‘doosra’ to determine if it’s bowled with a legal action.

Waugh told a business lunch on Wednesday: “I hope for the game’s sake that they find he’s OK because he’s great to watch — he is a unique type of bowler.”

“He makes Sri Lanka competitive in world cricket... he gets people talking about cricket. They are the sort of players you want in the game.”

Sri Lankan cricket officials told that they were yet to get a definitive word on Muralitharan’s bowling action from Elliott. A third test is being conducted and the result would be known by early next week. [AP]