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by Jayantha Anandappa in Australia 

Muttiah Muralitharan

It was disturbing to read in the press that Muttiah Muralitharan who is sick of the taunts and the heckling of the Australian spectators, is seriously considering the option of not touring Australia again. Reports also state that Sri Lanka is likely to tour Australia again as early as in October for a three test match series. It was also reported that Murali might ask the BCCSL to exclude tours to Australia from his future contracts.

It is imperative that Murali does not take a hasty decision in relation to not touring Australia again. Murali must return to Australia with the Sri Lankan team and bowl Sri Lanka to an historic test and test series victory.

This is the best response Murali can give to the Australian spectators, media and some hard-nosed commentators - who in my opinion are indirectly but largely responsible for the crowd's behaviour towards Muralitharan.

Darrell Hair and Emerson were spurred by the media speculations when they called Muralitharan for throwing in Dec 1996 and Jan 1999. The Australian media and commentators have always parochially defended Hair (and Emerson) even to the extent of turning a blind eye to Hair's controversial and "unethical" autobiography "The Decision Maker" - a book that raises serious doubts about Hair's credentials as a neutral and an unbiased umpire. The tabloid media had always contrived to keep the controversy alive with regard to the legitimacy of Murali's action.

Space does not permit me to elaborate on this any further. Media in this country had always ridiculed the role of the ICC throwing committee. Nothing was ever published in the media on any of the tests carried out on Murali to establish with objective evidence that Murali does not straighten his arm. Commentators notably Ritchie Benaud, Geoff Lawson, Keith Stackpole, Jim Maxwell, Dean Jones etc had added fuel to fire by carrying out a campaign in a very subtle manner always voicing their concerns on the legitimacy of Murali's action.

This was happening from 1996 and is still going on. A few days ago, referring to the incident at Brisbane when the crowd taunted Murali and allegedly pelted fruits at him, Keith Stackpole commented in a radio commentary that this happened unfortunately because spectators are not happy with Murali's action or some thing to that effect.

Players like Steve Waugh, Mark Taylor, Gilchrist or Warne had not helped the cause of Murali either (Reference to their comments on Hair's role, their doubts about Murali's action in most of the books/ comments that they have published between 1997 to now).

Shane Warne in his most recent book had conveniently (and out of context) quoted Bedi's controversial comments to support his own view that as long as there is doubt on Murali's action, his achievements are always questionable.

So Murali should not really take the reaction of the crowd personally or too seriously. Now that the threat of Darrell Hair demanding for his pound of flesh appears to have gone, Murali should not worry too much about coming to Australia.

The crowds here, particularly the crowds for the one-day matches come to have a good time and to see the home team winning. Also, historically the Australian crowds are noted to bully the stars of the opposition team.

John Snow was almost assaulted by a spectator in Sydney when Australians were crashing to defeat in 1971 against England.

Illingworth and Richard Hadlee were not spared either. To me the biggest threat to Murali is not the Australian crowds. It is a section of the media, some journalists and some uncompromising commentators who contrive to keep the controversy going. The Australian crowds naturally will always be driven by the views of the media and the commentators. I thought the reception Murali got in Sydney in both matches in Jan 2003, was not as bad in comparison to the reception he got in 1998. This time the crowd stopped no balling Murali after the second over. (After Sri Lanka defeated Australia at Sydney on 17 Jan there were many Australians- strangers to me, who walked up to me and shook my hand gladly saying, well done, your team played brilliantly today).

The Australian media and the cricket commentators can not fool the public all the time, not every one. Since the Sri Lankan team left the shores of Australia several letters have appeared in the prestigious papers such as "The Sydney Morning Herald", "The Age", "The Australian" defending Murali's action and condemning the crowd behaviour.

The following appeared in Sydney Morning Herald about a day or two ago under the letters to the editor. "So Warnie is to bring down the curtain on a one-day career. There is one thing sadder than that. The man set to become the most successful bowler in cricket history has left us and vowed never to return, citing crowd behaviour. Muttiah Muralitharan, a proud, gentle and happy soul, is gone.

May those mindless one-day cricket supporters have long, drunk, miserable, sunburnt lives. Murali, there are those of us who love you.- Peter Herring, Marrickville, NSW" Here is another letter that appeared in "The Australian" under the letters to the editor on 23 Jan 03 under the caption "Lay off Murali": " The media and former umpires should lay off Muttiah Muralitharan who is a champion cricketer and by all reports a champion bloke. As a former leg spinner (of very modest attainment) I say Murali is no more a chucker than Shane Warne.

Warne also straightens his wrist at delivery-the only difference is that the flicking action occurs over the wrist rather than below it.- John Kotsopoulus, North Balwyn, Victoria "

I fervently hope that Murali will read the above comments.

If Murali does not tour Australia again due to whatever reason (except for loss of form or injury) the losers will be Sri Lankan cricket and Murali himself.

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