Category Archives: murali

February 10, 2015 · 10:34 am

Come in Spinner! Murali punts on the Spinners who will stand out at 2015 World Cup

Muttiah Muralitharan, also in http://www1.skysports.com/cricket/news/12075/9701768/world-cup-muttiah-muralitharan-picks-his-11-spinners-to-watch-out-for — where the title is “Muttiah Muralitharan picks his 11 spinners to watch out for”

I do not expect spin to play a major role in this ICC Cricket World Cup (ICC CWC) as a combination of two new balls, fielding restrictions and the pitches will all count against them. But that does not mean spinners will be redundant and they will still have a part – maybe even a crucial part – to play.

History shows spinners can be very effective in an ICC CWC in Australian and New Zealand conditions and the last time it was held there, in 1992, Pakistan leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed grabbed 16 wickets, a mark bettered only by fellow countryman Wasim Akram. True, Mushy was an outstanding spinner but it highlights the fact there will still be opportunities for the very best slow bowlers to perform key roles and even become match-winners. So, who are those spinners who have the potential to be key men for their teams in this tournament? I thought it would be fun to select eleven to keep an eye out for during the action. Continue reading →

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October 26, 2014 · 2:35 am

Murali Harmony Cup 2014 sprouts more buds

Courtesy of the Sunday Leader, 26 October 2014 … http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2014/10/26/murali-harmony-cup/

The Third Murali Harmony Cup, a reconciliation cricket tournament that promotes unity, goodwill, teamwork, the spirit of fair play and service to disadvantaged rural communities in post-war Sri Lanka will be held from 29 October – 5 November in Northern Sri Lanka. Championed by legends of Sri Lankan cricket Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, and handled by the Foundation of Goodness and Red Dot Tours, the Murali Cup unites both local and international cricketing counterparts to galvanise outstation schools’ cricket development in Sri Lanka. Continue reading →

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Filed under cricket and life, cricketing icons, FOG, Mahela Jayawardene, murali, performance, reconciliation through sport, Sangakkara, sportsmanship, unusual people, welfare through sport

October 5, 2014 · 9:44 am

Chucking! A New Inquisition?

Quintus De Zylva, …”Darrell Bruce Hair? To be recalled as an advisor?”

Darrell Hair was dumped when the ICC announced it’s elite panel of umpires in 2002. Rumour has it that moves are a foot to have him re-called as an advisor to the umpires in the forthcoming World Cup 2015. He called Murali for chucking in the 1995 test between Australia and Sri Lanka at the MCG and later with Billy Doctrove he accused the Pakistan captain of ball tampering – an accusation that was dismissed by the ICC.

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Filed under Australian cricket, confrontations on field, cricket and life, cricket governance, foul tactics, International Cricket Council, murali, politics and cricket, Sri Lanka Cricket

September 24, 2014 · 1:17 pm

“No Ball” !! ….. ACB behind Emerson’s No-Balling Decisions against Murali

Quintus de Zylva : “The plot thickens – fifteen years on – Adelaide Oval Saturday 23rd January 1999″

ROSS EMERSON has recently been quoted in the Daily Telegraph in an interview that spanned the famous no-balling of Murali by him at the Adelaide Oval. He is reported on as saying that he acted under instructions to no-ball Murali – an incident that lead to the famous partial walk-out on the 23rd of January 1999. It later surfaced that EMERSON was on “sick-leave” at the time!

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Filed under Australian cricket, cricket governance, murali, performance, politics and cricket, Sri Lanka Cricket, tower of strength, unusual people

July 15, 2014 · 3:46 am

Cricketing Feats at Galle over the years …. Mahela, Sehwag and company

Bill RicquIer, courtesy of The lsland, 115 July 2014, where the title is “Welcome to Galle“

The first Test between Sri Lanka and South Africa, which starts on Wednesday at the Galle International Stadium will be the twenty third Test to have been played at that iconic ground. Of the twenty two played previously, Sri Lanka have won twelve and lost four. The first Test played at Galle, in June 1998, provided what might almost be called a template, setting as it did a precedent that has been followed reasonably faithfully since. Continue reading →

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Filed under cricket and life, cricketing icons, English cricket, Indian cricket, Mahela Jayawardene, murali, performance, Rangana Herath, shane warne, Sri Lanka Cricket, unusual people, unusual statistics

June 26, 2014 · 2:51 am

Oddities in Cricket – that sturdy trier from Chilaw & that rotund bloke from Kurunagala. Sri Lanka is a Special Place

Jarrod Kimber, at ESPNcricinfo, where the title was “The Pearl and the Bank Clerk” …. with apologies for the liberties taken in my switch in terminology

Sri Lanka’s GDP ranking in 2013 was 112, the UK were 21. They have a very small population compared to the other subcontinent cricket nations. Transparency International ranks them as the 91st least-corrupt nation on earth. They have only one really big modern city. Their cricket is mismanaged by selfish inept politicians. The team is signed off by the government. They don’t always pay their cricketers.

But this year they have beaten the world. And now they’ve beaten England with men who have lost their houses in tsunamis, been shot at by terrorists, competition winners and a tubby man who works at a bank.

Sri Lanka is a special place. Continue reading →

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Filed under backyard cricket, close finsihes, cricket and life, cricket governance, English cricket, Mahela Jayawardene, murali, performance, politics and cricket, Rangana Herath, Sri Lanka Cricket, unusual people, welfare through sport

May 22, 2014 · 2:14 pm

Essaying Cricket: Sri Lanka and Beyond

Michael Roberts

Articles on World Cricket, Sri Lankan Cricket politics, sledging and chucking
Comments on partisan TV coverage and cricket team reactions to bomb blasts
35 Articles by Guest Authors including Harsha Bhogle, Peter Roebuck, Mike Coward, Mike Marqusee & Sambit Bal and a range of Lankan authors, names familiar as well as surprising
A breathtaking collection of 157 photographs

Publisher: Vijitha Yapa Publications, Colombo, 2006

Web:www.vijithayapa.com

Softcover: ISBN 955-1266-25-0 AUD $65 / pd 25

Hardcover: ISBN 955-1266-26-9 AUD $90 / pd 35

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Filed under Australian cricket, Bradman, confrontations on field, cricket and life, cricket governance, cricketing icons, foul tactics, Mahela Jayawardene, murali, performance, player selections, politics and cricket, reconciliation through sport, Sangakkara, shane warne, sportsmanship, Sri Lanka Cricket, technology and cricket, tower of strength

April 11, 2014 · 6:55 pm

From the Wadiya in Wellawatte to Glory at Lahore in 1996 and Dhaka in 2014

Mark Nicholas, courtesy of ESPNcricinfo where the title is different

Cross the railway line from Station Road in Wellawatta on the fringe of the city of Colombo, head for the Indian Ocean and you should stumble upon Beach Wadiya, the most authentic seafood restaurant in town. It is a sand-in-your-toes sort of place, where the chilli crab is a standout and the wine list a gamble. It was here, in the mid-February of 1996, that Arjuna Ranatunga clearly explained how Sri Lanka could, and probably would, in his view, win the World Cup. The third at our ravenous table was Dav Whatmore, the Sri Lankan-born Australian coach of a talented Sri Lanka team rated a decent outside bet in the tournament that India and Australia were favourites to win. Continue reading →