ONE = Simon Barnes: “Muttiah Muralitharan as Cricketer of the Year 2006″
writing in 2007 on the year 2006 = https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/350915.html
The time has come to grasp the nettle, to remove the mental and, to reject the frown, the shrug, the pursed lips and the quizzical look. Muttiah Muralitharan was, without qualification, the finest cricketer on the planet last year and, by implication, is one of the best cricketers that have ever played the game.
Filed under bowling average, Bradman, child of empire, cricket and life, cricketing icons, cricketing records, cricketing rules, ICC, Mahela Jayawardene, memorable moments, murali, performance, politics and cricket, spinning art, technology and cricket, tower of strength, unusual statistics, work ethic
David Runciman reviewing No Spin –Warne’s Autobiography
When the Australian cricketers Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were exposed tampering with the ball during last year’s test series in South Africa there was, along with all the faux outrage, some genuine incredulity. Why did they take such an insane risk? The subterfuge was so cack-handed – rubbing the ball with lurid yellow sandpaper, perfectly suited to be picked up by the TV cameras – and the potential rewards so slight that they seemed to be putting their careers on the line for next to nothing. Confronted with the filmed evidence, Smith confessed straightaway. As conspiracies go this one barely got to first base, since almost no thought had been given to keeping it secret. They can’t have wanted to be caught. Each of the three culprits looked distraught in the aftermath. But it does appear that they didn’t think getting caught would matter much.
Ben Horne, in Daily Telegraph, 22 December 2019
Meet Dr DRS, the man Australia have turned to in a bid to crack cricket’s most convoluted code. When 22 botched referrals from 24 attempts leaves you in a critical condition, you need the doc with the PhD in lbw.
Sharda Ugra of ESPN in ESPNcircinfo, 12 October 2015, where the title is “The man preparing Sri Lanka for life after Herath”
If there was ever an opposition against whom Sri Lanka could consider a set of try-outs, West Indies would be it. In the light of Tharindu Kaushal‘s current entanglements over his action, Sri Lanka will certainly need to test the spin options that will be available to them in a post-Rangana Herath world.
The team’s strength at home in the era after Murali has revolved around Herath. In 20 Murali-less home Tests, Herath cleaned out 136 wickets, Sri Lanka winning eight and drawing five. Herath, Sri Lanka’s most successful spinner after Mr 800 is currently held together by crepe bandages and hope, his creaking knees and the rest of a generously proportioned 37-year-old body testing his ability to play through pain. The next two Sri Lankan front-line spinners after him have played eight (Dilruwan Perera) and six Tests (Kaushal); the latter has now been given a rap on his doosra fingers by the ICC.
James Maasdrop for ABC, 15 April 2019
Smith and Warner return to the international fold following 12-month bans for their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal that erupted in South Africa last year. However, there was no room for Peter Handscomb, Ashton Turner or Kane Richardson, who all toured India and the United Arab Emirates last month.Mitchell Starc and Jhye Richardson are named in the squad subject to fitness, while Josh Hazelwood misses out completely.
The 15-man squad announcement comes as Australia looks to defend its World Cup title that it won on home soil four years ago — its fifth title.The squad heads to England for the tournament beginning May 30, with an Ashes tour following immediately after.
Ben Horne, in The Weekend Australian, 8 February 2019, where the title is ICC Head Rules are exposed”
The International Cricket Council’s lack of action on concussion is in the spotlight again after it emerged an unfit Sri Lanka batsman was allowed to defy doctor’s orders and face the blazing Australian attack in Canberra last week.
It is understood Sri Lankan batsman Kusal Perera was theoretically ruled out of the second Test with concussion when, in the absence of a Sri Lankan team doctor, he was assessed by Australian doctor Richard Saw. The assessment came after Perera was forced to retire hurt in the first innings after he was struck by a bouncer from Jhye Richardson.
Justin Langer believes if the Australia players were to react in the same manner Virat Kohli celebrated the wicket of Aaron Finch, they would be considered “the worst blokes in the world”. Langer also fended off criticism from Sachin Tendulkar over Australia’s slow batting in the first innings.
Langer’s comments showed the level of scrutiny that surrounds Australia on two distinct levels: their style of play and their on-field behaviour. Amid all the swirling fallout from the Newlands scandal, the question is hovering: can the Australian team win without resorting to the sort of behaviour that led to a widespread public backlash? When Fox Sports replayed Kohli’s celebration after Ishant Sharma bowled Aaron Finch, Langer’s answer suggested the team is still trying to find the right balance.
Peter Hunt, 14 September 2018, THE ROAR where the title is Ball tampering – a legal analysis and a call for reform”
It’s lunch on the third day of the third Test between Australia and South Africa in Cape Town and the Test series is at a critical stage.
A day which will live in infamy
Australia won the first Test and South Africa won the second. Now, in the third, South Africa enjoys a 56-run lead on the first innings and at lunch, they have lost one wicket in accumulating 65 precious runs. So, with a lead of 121 runs and with nine second-innings wickets in hand, South Africa will resume shortly and look to block, cover drive, leave and square cut themselves into a position of comfort.
Cameron Bancroft of Australia talks to the umpire on the third day of the third cricket test between South Africa and Australia at Newlands Stadium, in Cape Town, South Africa, Saturday, March 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Halden Krog)
ONE = Item in CRICKET AGE, 7 August 2018 with title “MS Dhoni, Rahul Dravid as important as ‘larger than life’Virat Kohli, Ben Stokes, says ICC CEO Dave Richardson”
ICC CEO David Richardson said that while cricket needs the likes of Virat Kohli and Ben Stokes, it also needs an MS Dhoni or Rahul Dravid as a balancing act. Richardson, while giving his MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture on Monday, said that cricket needs its “larger than life characters” and its more mellow exponents so as to “stay on the good side of that line.”
“On the field the cricket needs its larger than life characters. Its Colin Milburns, Freddie Flintoffs, Shane Warnes, Virat Kohlis, Ben Stokes but we equally it needs its Frank Worrells, its Mahendra Singh Dhonis, its Rahul Dravids, its Colin Cowdreys to make sure that we all stay in the good side of that line,” said Richardson.
Champika Fernando
Leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay has been recalled home from the West Indies on disciplinary grounds. The board did not specify the exact nature of the incident which led to the Lankan leg spinner’s expulsion ahead of the third and final Test in Barbados but mirrorcricket.lk can confirm it was related to a late night out by the player concerned.
