Tuesday, October 3 2006 14:49 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The world's best spinners, led by Muttiah Muralitharan, lie in wait for the star stroke-makers hoping to feast on placid Indian tracks in the Champions Trophy.

Quality spin bowling performs a vital role on low, slow sub-continental pitches where many free-hitting batsmen struggle to adjust to the conditions.

Ask Ricky Ponting's Australians, who were caught in a spin-trap against Sri Lanka in the 2002 Champions Trophy semi-final in Colombo. They managed just 162 before losing by seven wickets.

No prize for guessing the identity of the Aussie destroyer.

Muralitharan (3-26 off 9.4 overs) led a pack of disciplined spinners in the match in which Sri Lankan skipper Sanath Jayasuriya used his pacemen for just nine overs.

Life will be no easier for batsmen this time as New Zealander Daniel Vettori, Indian Harbhajan Singh, West Indies' Chris Gayle, Pakistani Shahid Afridi and Australian Brad Hogg line up alongside Muralitharan.

The Sri Lankan off-spinner asks more questions than batsmen can answer with his turn, bounce and subtle variations. He also has an uncanny skill of turning the ball on any surface.

A proven match-winner, although always controversial, he is the only bowler to have grabbed more than 1,000 wickets in international cricket (657 in Tests and 416 in one-dayers).

Sri Lankan wicket-keeper Kumar Sangakkara has said it is impossible to read Muralitharan.

"I have been fortunate because as a wicket-keeper I have had the best view in the world of his artistry, the extent of which never ceases to amaze me," said Sangakkara.

"He has so many different deliveries, tricks and subtle variations over which he has complete mastery. Even the very best batsmen, those with the keenest eye, are deceived,"he said.

Off-spinner Harbhajan has yet to match Muralitharan, but is effective on helpful pitches.

He was the lone Indian bowler to keep his reputation intact in the recent triangular one-day series in Kuala Lumpur.

India need Harbhajan to be at his best. They are already without ace leg-spinner Anil Kumble who is recovering from injury. Their bowling options are further restricted by their seamers' inconsistency.

This means India will rely on part-time spinners Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and Dinesh Mongia.

Harbhajan says it is a myth that a spinner's role is only to restrict runs.

"The second-highest wicket-taker in one-day internationals is Muralitharan and who knows he might be the highest wicket-taker soon," Harbhajan said.

"People like Murali and Pakistan's Saqlain Mushtaq have given a new dimension to spin bowling in limited-overs cricket. Your role depends on conditions and situations," he said.

"In India and Sri Lanka, it is the spinners who play a huge role. The middle-overs are extremely important in one-dayers and it is largely the spinners who operate around that time," he said.

Left-arm spinner Vettori may be playing his first one-day international in seven months, but batsmen cannot afford to take liberties against the accurate New Zealander.

He was always difficult to get away when he toured India in 2003, tying the batsmen down with variations. He is again expected to play a leading role on pitches which will suit him.

Vettori, the youngest player to represent New Zealand in Tests at the age of 18, has so far taken 167 wickets in one-day internationals.

Off-spinner Gayle, leg-spinner Afridi and left-arm chinaman bowler Hogg will also fancy their chances in Indian conditions.