Aussies, Sri Lanka in big clash

JOHANNESBURG: Australia and Sri Lanka go through their paces at Centurion, smiling at the right people and saying the right things. But there is bad blood in the air on the eve of today’s opening Super Six clash.

The two teams have not seen eye to eye for years. Perhaps some personal friendships have stretched across the divide between the two camps — the players meet up often enough, after all. For the most part, though, the mutual distrust and animosity stem from one man’s elbow joint.  Muttiah Muralitharan will probably end his career as the most successful and the most controversial bowler who ever lived, all because of that right elbow. When he was first called for throwing while touring Australia in 1995-96, it created an international furore.
When he went back in 1998-99 he was called again and Arjuna Ranatunga led his side off the field in protest. Muralitharan’s action is as unique as it is bizarre. His rotating wrist, as well as an arm which cannot fully straighten, adds to the visual confusion. The off spinner has not been called or reported for throwing since but still the debate rages.

A year ago, former India Test spinner Bishen Bedi told Wisden magazine: “If Murali doesn’t chuck, then show me how to bowl. I have nothing against him personally but it’s grossly unfair to the game... Perhaps he would have made a good javelin thrower.”  Australia, too, appears convinced that Sri Lanka’s most successful bowler breaks the laws of the game with every delivery and it is not afraid to air that view.   Within weeks, vice-captain Adam Gilchrist was reprimanded by the Australian Cricket Board for saying Muralitharan’s action was technically not within the rules. Australian umpire Darrell Hair, meanwhile, who called the bowler for throwing in 1995, branded Muralitharan’s action “diabolical” in his autobiography, saying he would not hesitate to call him again.  There was also trouble at the 1996 World Cup, when Australia forfeited their match against the Sri Lankans in Colombo after a lorry bomb killed around 90 people in the city.

Teams: AUSTRALIA (from): Ricky Ponting (capt), Adam Gilchrist, Michael Bevan, Andy Bichel, Ian Harvey, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Darren Lehmann, Jimmy Maher, Damien Martyn, Glenn McGrath, Andy Symonds, Nathan Bracken, Nathan Hauritz.
SRI LANKA (from): Sanath Jayasuriya (capt), Marvan Atapattu, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Aravinda De Silva, Russel Arnold, Jehan Mubarak, Avishka Gunawardena, Hashan Tillakaratne, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Dilhara Fernando, Pulasthi Gunaratne, Prabath Nissanka, Charitha Buddhika.