Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has been given the all-clear to resume bowling and start the second stage of his rehabilitation from shoulder injury.
Muralitharan will travel to England on Monday to start pre-season training with Lancashire and now hopes to regain full fitness by the end of April and possibly play a one-day match against Glamorgan on April 17.
"The shoulder is feeling great and although it feels stiff in the morning it is now completely pain free when I bowl," Muralitharan told Reuters.
Sri Lanka Cricket's Melbourne-based surgeon Dr. David Young declared himself satisfied with the shoulder after a consultation earlier this week. Muralitharan underwent surgery on it in August and February.
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Sri Lanka are due to tour India immediately after their rearranged two-Test tour to New Zealand but Muralitharan will not be ready for a full international return in time for the five-match one-day series.
Muralitharan will stay with Lancashire for the first half of the season, returning to Sri Lanka in time for a two-Test series with West Indies starting on July 15.
