Murali to be inducted into ICC Hall of Fame in May 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff, 

Former Sri Lanka offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan has become the first player from his country to be voted into the ICC Hall of Fame. He will be formally inducted into it later this year, along with the late England fast bowler George Lohmann, the late Australia opener Arthur Morris and former Australia Women captain Karen Rolton.

Murali is the leading wicket-taker in both Tests and ODIs, and one of only two players to tally over a 1000 wickets in international cricket, in a career that spanned 19 years, from 1992 to 2011. Lohmann, who played in the 1880s and 1890s, became the fastest bowler to 100 Test wickets when he got to the landmark in March 1896, in his 16th match, and the record has stood for the 120 years since. Morris was part of the “Invincibles” in the Ashes of 1948, where he aggregated 696 runs at 87, outscoring Don Bradman.The highlights of Rolton’s international career, which lasted from 1995 to 2009, included a knock of 209 not out at Headingley in 2001 – then the highest score in Women’s Test cricket – and a century in the World Cup final of 2005. She was named captain in 2006.

ICC chief executive David Richardson said he was pleased that the list of latest inductees featured players from such a wide-ranging time span. “We have in the list some very famous names of different eras,” Richardson said. “Muralitharan has been one of the greats of the modern era. Lohmann and Morris were outstanding performers during their times and are part of cricket folklore, while Rolton’s performances have been recent and came during an era when women’s cricket became very competitive.”

Hindustan Times Correspondent, Mumbai: “Muttiah Muralitharan to be inducted into ICC Hall of Fame during Champions Trophy,” 19 April 2017

Legendary off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, the first cricketer from his country to be voted into the ICC Hall of Fame, will be formally inducted during the ICC Champions Trophy in England later this year, Sri Lanka Cricket announced on Wednesday.  “It gives us immense sense of pride that Murali is receiving this highest honour. We are proud of him and the glory he has brought to Cricket in Sri Lanka. His illustrious career demonstrates that he belongs to this highly prestigious group,” Ashley de Silva, CEO Sri Lanka Cricket, was quoted as saying on srilankacricket.lk.

One of the most iconic cricketers of the game, Muralitharan has been synonymous with the rise of Sri Lankan cricket since the early nineties. He was part of their World Cup winning squad in 1996 and had taken the world by storm with the art of mastering the ‘doosra’. According to de Silva, Murali was offered to choose between the Bangladesh tour to Sri Lanka, the ICC Champions Trophy and the India tour for being inducted and he chose the ICC event.

He will also be joined by former Australia captain Karen Rolton, Arthur Morris and Englishman George Lohmann, who were voted by ICC Cricket Hall of Famers and a section of the media. The latter two will be represented by their family members at the event. The ICC will honour their contribution to the game by presenting them with commemorative caps.

A year back, when their names had been chosen, ICC chairman Dave Richardson had congratulated them and said: “Muralitharan has been one of the greats of the modern era. His guile and consistency over the years helped Sri Lanka develop as a very competitive side in both Tests and ODI cricket. We have in the list some very famous names of different eras. Lohmann and Morris were outstanding performers during their times and are part of cricket folk-lore, while Rolton’s performances have been recent and came during an era when women’s cricket became very competitive,” Richardson was quoted as saying by the ICC on their official website.