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| Wednesday, 10 March 2004 |
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Murali rubs it in by Dr. Quintus de Zylva In a scintillating performance of controlled mesmerizing spin, Muttiah Muralitharan took six Australian wickets to equal Shane Warne's total of 491 Test wickets. Late in the day on Day 1, Warnie struck back with the wicket of Jayasuriya to again edge slightly ahead of Murali. Murali's spell of flight and varying pace had the Aussies fumbling on a wicket that played true to it's Galle heritage. Ricky Ponting was left stranded after charging at Murali and Kumar Sangakkara flicked the bails off in a slick bit of wicket keeping to have the Aussie captain on his way - and perhaps with Sir Donald Bradman's famous words that Murali sought to bamboozle and deceive - ringing in his ears. Murali followed this up with a ball that spun around Darren Lehmann's muscular legs to have him look back in awe - when the ball flicked his leg stump. This surely was a commanding performance that silenced all the "minnows" in the accompanying Aussie contingent. To be true to their calling, they must now have to email back to their journals the fact that here was Murali reconfirmed as the greatest thing that came out of Sri Lanka since egg- hoppers were introduced into the menu! The countdown to that magical figure of 500 has now begun - who will reach it first and then go on to overtake Courtney Walsh's all time test match record of 519 wickets. Warne and Murali have added a new dimension to Test cricket - long gone are the days when opening test pace bowlers called the shots and dazzled with their pace and bounce. The first wicket to fall on either side was to spin rather than speed. The Galle scoreboard did not need to record the speed of any delivery - especially as Brett Lee was only watching and not performing. Here after all was SPIN and not PACE the desired visual treat. The world's grateful thanks must go out to these spin twins for rekindling the graceful art of spin bowling. To see Murali bowling to Warne and then observe Warne's acknowledgement with the shake of his head that the ball was a good one - showed us that Test cricket can still be played in a friendly competitive way. Cricket lovers the world over don't need the beat up crap of fierce unsavory words emanating from journalists that need to dance for their dinner. We need to enjoy the moment when either of these spin wizards reach that elusive a target of 500 Test wickets. They are both worthy of our adoration and respect. They are both great bowlers and they add variety to the art of spin bowling. Cricket Australia and Sri Lanka Cricket are to be congratulated on having nurtured these magicians of slow bowling and serving them up on the same day same place and same platter for us to enjoy. [*Dr. Quintus de Zylva is Sri Lanka Cricket representative in Australia]. |
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