Muttiah Muralitharan's extraordinary abilities have transfixed cricket for more than a decade but there will be another off-spinner looking to have a major say when Sri Lanka and New Zealand clash for a World Cup final place.

Jeetan Patel wasn't even sure of his spot in New Zealand's team when they came to the Caribbean and there is still a chance the 26-year-old might not even make the eleven for Tuesday's semi-final at Sabina Park, where conditions tend to favour pace bowlers.

But Patel made a strong case for retaining his place by taking two for 48 in 10 overs during a 215-run defeat by Australia on Friday - the Black Caps heaviest reverse in one-day internationals - where he was the only New Zealand bowler with an economy rate of under five an over.

Patel, no relation of former New Zealand off-spinner Dipak, who surprisingly opened the bowling during the 1992 World Cup, recently told the Press Trust of India: "I wasn't sure of my place in the squad because I wasn't sure how the wickets here would play. But so far it has been very good."

In 22 one-day internationals, Patel has so far taken 32 wickets at an average of under 30 apiece with a career economy rate of under five an over.

His ability to produce both loop and turn is similar to that of experienced New Zealand left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori and he has also shown a cool head when bowling in the closing overs of a one-day innings.

As well as learning from Vettori, Patel has also gained from the guidance of New Zealand coach John Bracewell, himself a former Test off-spinner.

"It's been a huge learning curve for me to interact with these two guys," said Patel, whose parents come from Navsari in the north-west Indian state of Gujarat.

Despite his impressive display against world champions Australia, Patel was still wondering if he'd played his last game of the tournament.

"I've heard Jamaica is a dirty, green seamer and Barbados (venue for the final) is hard and bouncy, so I'm not sure how much more action I'm going to see," he told New Zealand's Dominion Post newspaper.

Muralitharan, by contrast, has no need to worry about a 'horses for courses' selection policy, having shown he can turn the ball on all surfaces.

However, his career remains beset by continued controversy over the legitimacy of an action which involves an exceptionally flexible wrist and, his critics claim, a bent arm.

No bowler has been the subject of so much detailed biomechanical analysis.

But every time Murali has been found not guilty of 'chucking', even when his 'doosra' - a delivery that turns away from the right-handed batsman and so is the opposite of a normal off-break - caused concern.

When the International Cricket Council (ICC) concluded that all bowlers 'threw' to a certain extent under existing rules, and introduced an allowance for straightening in delivery, cynics claimed the new tolerance level had been set at 15 degrees because this was just above Murali's own mark.

But the 1996 World Cup-winner's effectiveness is beyond dispute.

He stands second in the list of both Test and one-day international cricket's lists of leading wicket-takers with 674 and 451 respectively.

Worryingly for New Zealand, his one-day bowling average against them, 64 wickets at under 20, is better than that of his career mark overall of under 23 against all-comers.

New Zealand middle-order batsman Craig McMillan has said his side can't pick the 'doosra and team-mate Jacob Oram is well aware of the challenge Murali presents.

"You're playing arguably one of the best spinners that's ever lived," he said.

(Article: Copyright © 2007 AFP)