Tuesday, 18 May 2004  
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Murali the great

by Quintus de Zylva

Sri Lanka now has a world champion like no other before him and perhaps for a long time before any other comes along. And Muthiah Muralitharan has been the catalyst that will forever be remembered as the one single man who made cricket the most popular national sport in Sri Lanka.

His humble beginning in Kundasale has shown all Sri Lankan youth that you can achieve the highest awards with diligence and hard work. William Shakespeare in Twelfth Night (1601) had these words - "BUT BE NOT AFRAID OF GREATNESS: SOME MEN ARE BORN GREAT, SOME ACHIEVE GREATNESS, AND SOME HAVE GREATNESS THRUST UPON THEM".

Murali started his uphill cricketing career from the roadside at Luckyland and then at St. Anthony's College Katugastota - neither of which were the elite chosen destinations of the men whose parents wanted their sons to one day wear cream flannels.

His mother and father venture no further than his favourite Asgiriya cricket ground to watch him in action. He was not born great. And unlike Mary Donaldson a real estate agent from Tasmania who is now a Danish Princess crowned in a Lutheran cathedral in Copenhagen, Murali has not had greatness thrust upon him.

He has just achieved greatness by hard work and an unfailing will to do his best for his country. He is quoted as saying that he will keep bowling at least until he sees his country win the next World Cup which matters more to him than any records - "records are meant to be broken" and "it won't stay for a long time" were his words when he stood triumphantly in Harare! Such is the man we know and love as Murali.

But as Peter Roebuck has said it is time he earns some respect. "He has been examined, tested, exposed, taunted and demeaned for long enough".

His place in the record books of cricket can never be taken away from him as "Murali turned the ball more than anyone else.. his deliveries seemed to turn at right angles". And his God-given ability to spin the ball has been the reason for all the volumes that have been written and spoken about him for so many years.

And to think that we are no closer to resolution of this paradox - a world champion who looks down on the murky waters stirred by lesser mortals than himself has every right to remain confused. No wonder! The war of words continues to baffle all cricket loving humans.

Twelve camera shooting systems (250 frames a second!) described as state-of-the art technology (Lord of the Rings fame) have not made the picture any clearer - "illogical" levels of tolerance; the ICC "supports the decision of SLC"; there has been no "instruction"; "the doosra has not been banned"; "notified but not reported", "boozing" and on it goes.

As Murali said from Bulawayo "I think the problem is all the newspapers making the hype" or to put it in more Australian colloquial language bulldust. Take heart Murali and be not afraid of greatness.

Don't even think of retiring in 2007 after the next world cup. Your repertoire spans such a wide variety that even a eunuch must remain envious! You can do without the one that goes the other way! All Sri Lankans stand by you. And so does many an intelligent cricket fanatic in this wide world.

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www.Pathmaconstruction.com

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www.eagle.com.lk

www.continentalresidencies.com

www.ppilk.com

www.crescat.com

www.peaceinsrilanka.org

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