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| Thursday, 22 April 2004 |
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Muralitharan - where to from here? By Dr. Quintus de Zylva As MUTHIAH MURALITHARAN boarded that flight to Zimbabwe last Friday, he must surely have realised that tropical thunderstorms and turbulence might still be the order of the day - and he might yet again be asked to fasten his seat belt and accept the cloudy unsettled atmospheric conditions that have dogged his spinning life. If we are to believe the reports emanating from the "know-alls" and the ones who know much less, it seems that further research is required in to the "LEVELS OF TOLERANCE" given to slow bowlers, medium pace bowlers and fast bowlers or else, under-arm bowling will be the only form of entertainment permitted on cricket pitches throughout the world - much to the horror of the New Zealander's again! Who we ask set these "LEVELS OF TOLERANCE" in the first place and would a court of law uphold such an arbitrary level being used in depriving a sportsman of engaging in his favourite sport and in earning a living from it? Was the straightening of an elbow ever considered an unfair advantage to a spin bowler? What after all are the speeds involved and what danger is it to a batsman when he faces a spin bowler? Don't we live in the days of helmets and almost every other known protective gear that batsmen are now permitted to wear - bullet proof vests might be next in line if Murali's spin bowling was a threat to anyone's safety. Duleep Mendis - Sri Lanka Cricket's CEO was felled by a rising ball from Thommo in that memorable ODI at the Oval in 1975. Helmets were unheard of in those days but Duleep was visited by the English constabulary the next day whilst he was under observation at St. Thomas' Hospital. He was asked whether he wanted to press charges of assault against Mr. Thompson! The gentleman that Duleep Mendis has always been made him decline the offer. The Sri Lanka cricket board at that stage never even asked for a video examination of Thommo's sling action - it was all a matter of sport then and it should be now. Shane Warne has just said of Murali -" HE'S GOT A UNIQUE ACTION. IF SOMEBODY IS UNORTHODOX OR DIFFERENT, YOU SHOULD GO WITH IT". Such is the class of this great sportsman Shane Warne who recently won the hearts of so many cricket followers in Sri Lanka. And Warnie should know that Sir Donald Bradman also said of Murali " CLEARLY MURALI DOES NOT THROW THE BALL. NO EFFORT IN THAT DIRECTION IS MADE OR IMPLIED BY HIM. What then of these so-called "EXPERTS" who set arbitrary limits of tolerance and then ask for more time to do more research? Cricket lover's the world over are sick and tired of this scientific farce that would surely not stand up to any legal challenge. Murali's livelihood after all is at stake and would these so-called experts justify their limits of tolerance in a court of law? Speed limits on the road are set after many years of study and definite proof that an excessive speed of a motor vehicle is a danger on the road. What are we talking of when the powers that be set 10 degrees for fast bowlers, 7.5 degrees for medium pace bowlers and a paltry 5 degrees for a spinner. Where does Andrew Symonds fit in when we are told that he was picked in the Aussie team as a medium-pacer but that he was spinning the ball in Sri Lanka? Where will this farce in figures really end? Murali after all was called for an illegal delivery in Brisbane when he bowled a leg spinner from the back of his hand!. Tony Greig wasted no time in replaying that very ball over and over again on Channel 9 as proof that preconceived notions do influence decisions in cricket. Daryl Foster is quoted as saying "How much can any person take?" in reference to Murali's decision not to tour Australia again. How much after all can any cricket-lover take - to see this recurrent farce being re-enacted over and over again. And then to be told that newer guide-lines should be set for spin bowlers! Let's get on with the game and watch these spin merchants - Murali and Warnie - do what they know best to do - just bowl. And leave the bickering about elbow straightening to others who have nothing better to do. |
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