Monday, July 26, 2010
MICROMAX CUP UPDATE
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a tribute to the wizard of spin
Controversy of bowling action
Throughout much of his international career, Muralitharan's action has been suspected of contravening the laws of the game by the straightening of his bowling arm during delivery. Although he has been cited three times, subsequent biomechanical testing led the ICC to clear him of the charge and permit him to continue bowling.Biomechanical testing conducted on four occasions has fueled debate as to whether his action is in fact illegal or actually an illusion created by his allegedly unique ability to generate extra movement both at the shoulder as well the wrist enables him to bowl the doosra without straightening the elbow.[130]ref name="Murali bowling with brace">Nicholas, Mark (2004-07-08). "Brace yourselves for new footage that may prove Murali's not bending the law". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/07/1089000223490.html?from=storylhs. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
[edit] First throwing citation and testing
Ten days later, on 5 January 1996, Sri Lanka played the West Indies in the seventh ODI of the triangular World Series competition, in Brisbane. Umpire Ross Emerson officiating in his debut international match, no-balled Muralitharan three times in his first over, twice in his second and twice in his third. It was an identical tally to that called by Hair on Boxing Day and (like Hair) Emerson made his calls from the bowler's end while his partner stood silent. The main difference was that several no-balls were for leg-breaks instead of the bowler's normal off-breaks.
In February 1996, just before the world cup Muralitharan underwent biomechanical analysis at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology under the supervision of Prof. Ravindra Goonetilleke, who declared his action legal in the conditions tested, citing a congenital defect in Muralitharan's arm which makes him incapable of fully straightening it, but giving the appearance of fully straightening the arm. Although under the original Laws a bowler's arm did not need to be fully straightened to be in breach of a legal delivery.[133][134] They concluded that his action created the 'optical illusion of throwing'. Based on this evidence ICC gave clearance to Muralitharan to continue bowling.[10]
[edit] Second citation and testing
Doubts about Muralitharan's action persisted however, on the 1998–99 tour to Australia he was once again called for throwing by Ross Emerson during a One Day International against England at the Adelaide Oval in Australia. The Sri Lankan team almost abandoned the match, but after instructions from the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka, the game resumed.[135] The Sri Lankan captain at the time Arjuna Ranatunga, was later fined and given a suspended ban from the game as a result.[136] It later emerged that at the time of this match Emerson was on sick leave from his non-cricket job due to a stress-related illness and he stood down for the rest of the series.[137] Muralitharan was sent for further tests in Perth and England and was cleared again.[10] At no stage was Muralitharan requested to change or remodel his action, by the ICC. Up to this point in his career (1999) Muralitharan primarily bowled two types of deliveries, namely the off-break and the topspinner. He had not yet mastered the doosra.a tribute to the wizard of spin
Cricket awards
Wisden leading cricketer in the world
| Preceded by Andrew Flintoff | Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World 2006 | Succeeded by Jacques Kallis |
| Preceded by Steve Waugh | Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World 2000 | Succeeded by Glenn McGrath |
Man of match in Test cricket
| Table: Man of match in Test cricket |
|---|
Man of match in one day internationals
| Table: Man of match in one day internationals |
|---|
Recognition
In 2002, Wisden carried out a statistical analysis of all Test matches in an effort to rate the greatest cricketers in history, and Muralitharan was ranked as the best Test bowler of all time.[3] However, two years earlier, Muralitharan was not named as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century. Former Australian captain Steve Waugh called him "the Don Bradman of bowling".[121]Muralitharan was selected as the Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World in 2000 and in 2006.[122]
On 15 November 2007, the Warne-Muralidaran Trophy was unveiled named after the two leading wicket-takers in Test cricket, Shane Warne and Muralitharan. The trophy displays images of the two spin bowlers' hands each holding a cricket ball. This trophy will be contested between Australia and Sri Lanka in all future Test series.[123]
On 3 December 2007, just hours after Muttiah Muralitharan became Test cricket's leading Test wicket-taker, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) announced it had unveiled a portrait of the Sri Lanka off-spinner at Lord's.[124] On the same day the Philatelic Bureau of the Department of Posts in Sri Lanka issued a circular stamp with a denomination of Rs. 5 to mark the world record set by Muttiah Muralitharan. The circular design was meant to denote the cricket ball.[125]
Australian musician Alston Koch provoked worldwide interest when he recorded the only official tribute song to Muralitharan, the song was even mentioned on the BBC's Test Match Special.[126][127] The Muralitharan Song video was also released after he broke the world record.
On 10 January 2008, the Parliament of Sri Lanka felicitated Muttiah Muralitharan for his world record breaking feat of being the highest wicket taker in Test cricket.[128] This is the first time that a sportsman has been honoured in the country's Supreme Legislature.[
a tribute to the wizard of spin
Muttiah Muralitharan holds a number of world records, and several firsts:
- The most Test wickets (800 wickets as of 22 July 2010).[97]
- The most One-Day International wickets (515 wickets as of 22 July 2010).[98]
- The highest number of international wickets in Tests, ODIs and T20s combined (1320 wickets as of 22 July 2010).[98]
- The most 5-wicket hauls in an innings at Test level (67).[67]
- The most 10-wicket hauls in a match at Test level (22). He is the only player to take 10 wickets/match against every Test playing nation.[99]
- Fastest to 350,[100] 400,[101] 450,[102] 500,[103] 550,[104] 600,[105] 650,[106] 700,[107] 750[108] and 800 Test wickets, in terms of matches played (indeed the only bowler to exceed 708 wickets).
- Only player to take 10 wickets in a Test in four consecutive matches. He has achieved this feat twice.[109]
- Only player to take 50 or more wickets against every Test playing nation.[110]
- Muralitharan and Jim Laker (England), are the only bowlers to have taken 9 wickets in a Test innings twice.
- 7 wickets in an innings against the most countries (5).[111]
- Most Test wickets taken bowled (157),[112] stumped (41)[113] and caught & bowled (31).[114] Bowled by Muralitharan (b Muralitharan) is the most common dismissal in Test cricket (excluding run out).[115]
- Most successful bowler/fielder (non-wicket keeper) combination – c. Mahela Jayawardene b. Muttiah Muralitharan (67).[116]
- Most Man of the Series awards in Test cricket (11).[117]
- One of only six bowlers who have dismissed all the eleven batsmen in a Test match. Jim Laker, Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan, Geoff Dymock, Abdul Qadir and Waqar Younis are the others.[118]
- Most Test wickets in a single ground. Muralitharan is the only bowler to capture 100-plus Test wickets at three venues, the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo, the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy and the Galle International Stadium in Galle.[119]
- The only bowler to take 75 or more wickets in a calendar year on three occasions, achieving it in 2000, 2001 and 2006.
- Most ducks (dismissals for zero) ever in international cricket (Tests+ODI's+Twenty20): 59 ducks total.[120]
a tribute to the wizard of spin
Muttiah Muralitharan is the first and only Tamil of Indian origin to represent Sri Lanka in international cricket.[citation needed]
Muralitharan's paternal grandfather Periyasamy Sinasamy came from South India to work in the tea plantations of central Sri Lanka in 1920. Muralitharans belong to the Kongu Vellalar caste which is the caste majority of people from the north-western part of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. [22] Sinasamy later returned to the country of his birth with his daughters and settled in Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India. However his sons, including Muralitharan's father Muttiah, remained in Sri Lanka.[23]
Muralitharan was born in the village of Nattarampotha in Kundasale (near Kandy), the eldest of the four sons to Sinnasamy Muttiah and Lakshmi. Muralitharan's father Sinnasamy Muttiah, runs a successful biscuit-making business.[24]
When he was nine years old Muralitharan was sent to St. Anthony's College, Kandy, a private school run by Benedictine monks. He began his cricketing career as a medium pace bowler but on the advice of his school coach, Sunil Fernando, he took up off-spin when he was fourteen years old. He soon impressed and went on to play for four years in the school First XI. In those days he played as an all-rounder and batted in the middle order. In his final two seasons at St Anthony's College he took over one hundred wickets and in 1990/1 was named as the 'Bata Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year'.[25]
After leaving school he joined Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club and was selected for the Sri Lanka A tour of England in 1991. He played in five games but failed to capture a single wicket. On his return to Sri Lanka he impressed against Allan Border's Australian team in a practice game and then went on to make his Test debut at R. Premadasa Stadium in the Second Test Match of the series.[26]
When his grandfather died at the age of 104 in July 2004, Muralitharan returned home from a tour of India to attend his funeral. Periyasamy Sinasamy's first wish to see Muralitharan claiming the world record for the most Test wickets was realised (passing the record set by Courtney Walsh), but not his desire to live to see his grandson married. Muralitharan's grandmother had died one month earlier at the age of 97. Muralitharan's manager, Kushil Gunasekera stated that "Murali's family is closely knit and united. They respect traditional values. The late grandfather enjoyed a great relationship with Murali."[27]
Muralitharan married Madhimalar Ramamurthy,[28] an Indian national, on 21 March 2005.[29] Madhimalar is the daughter of late Dr S. Ramamurthy of Malar Hospitals, and his wife Dr Nithya Ramamurthy. Their first child, Naren, was born in January 2006.[30]
Muralitharan's paternal grandfather Periyasamy Sinasamy came from South India to work in the tea plantations of central Sri Lanka in 1920. Muralitharans belong to the Kongu Vellalar caste which is the caste majority of people from the north-western part of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. [22] Sinasamy later returned to the country of his birth with his daughters and settled in Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India. However his sons, including Muralitharan's father Muttiah, remained in Sri Lanka.[23]
Muralitharan was born in the village of Nattarampotha in Kundasale (near Kandy), the eldest of the four sons to Sinnasamy Muttiah and Lakshmi. Muralitharan's father Sinnasamy Muttiah, runs a successful biscuit-making business.[24]
When he was nine years old Muralitharan was sent to St. Anthony's College, Kandy, a private school run by Benedictine monks. He began his cricketing career as a medium pace bowler but on the advice of his school coach, Sunil Fernando, he took up off-spin when he was fourteen years old. He soon impressed and went on to play for four years in the school First XI. In those days he played as an all-rounder and batted in the middle order. In his final two seasons at St Anthony's College he took over one hundred wickets and in 1990/1 was named as the 'Bata Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year'.[25]
After leaving school he joined Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club and was selected for the Sri Lanka A tour of England in 1991. He played in five games but failed to capture a single wicket. On his return to Sri Lanka he impressed against Allan Border's Australian team in a practice game and then went on to make his Test debut at R. Premadasa Stadium in the Second Test Match of the series.[26]
When his grandfather died at the age of 104 in July 2004, Muralitharan returned home from a tour of India to attend his funeral. Periyasamy Sinasamy's first wish to see Muralitharan claiming the world record for the most Test wickets was realised (passing the record set by Courtney Walsh), but not his desire to live to see his grandson married. Muralitharan's grandmother had died one month earlier at the age of 97. Muralitharan's manager, Kushil Gunasekera stated that "Murali's family is closely knit and united. They respect traditional values. The late grandfather enjoyed a great relationship with Murali."[27]
Muralitharan married Madhimalar Ramamurthy,[28] an Indian national, on 21 March 2005.[29] Madhimalar is the daughter of late Dr S. Ramamurthy of Malar Hospitals, and his wife Dr Nithya Ramamurthy. Their first child, Naren, was born in January 2006.[30]
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