Murali cleared!!! .... or not...?

[Slow Love™]

My overall perspective is that it's possible a rule change IS necessary. Don't get me wrong, under current guidelines, it's clear that Murali DOES throw the ball, in spite of the protestations of some folks out there that he doesn't.

The key issue is whether a lot of other bowlers do as well. IMO, we need to test the total group of current test players (a big undertaking, I know, but the ICC has plenty of it's own income (via sponsorship deals and the like) and should fund this, rather than the cricket boards, some of which are financially stretched), and a test of legality of action should be a precondition for players (who bowl) that are selected to play for their country for the first time.

If it's clear that it's not feasible to punish Murali when many other bowlers are exceeding the guidelines, then, yes, a rule change should take place. It's happened before, certainly, in transitioning from underarm bowling, to roundarm, and then to overarm. I'm sure there were people horrified at the time, but these were practical considerations that enhanced the game. A practical degree of flex rotation that players aren't violating all over the place is equivalent.

I would REALLY like though to know what Murali's original (pre-doosra) results were, in terms of degree of straightening. Same applies to the The Shoaib, and Jermaine Lawson, and the majority of players who have had remedial work done or who have been tested. More transparency on the part of the ICC is definitely needed on this subject.

 

[Kenny]

But what if, knowing that he's been cleared in the lab tests, Muralitharan purposely bends his elbow further? He knows that he can't be called since scientists have cleared his action and if he gets called he can always go back to his regular action which was cleared and he can blame the appearance of chucking on any videotape on "optical illusions". Yes, perhaps it's a conspiracy theory...

It's a good one though.......IMO it would be ridiculously easy for him to bowl a certain way in the lab, (whilst under the 'watchful' gaze of former coach and Murali fan Bruce Yardley) and then 'modify' certain deliveries every now and then out on the pitch.
He is undoubtedly a very crafty little bugger.

 

[marc71178]

Maybe this latest revelation will be one step closer to a total ban on this "bowler"..

Why?

The doosra is the only one in which his action is illegal, so that is the only ball he isn't allowed to bowl.

 

[Deja moo]

It's a good one though.......IMO it would be ridiculously easy for him to bowl a certain way in the lab, (whilst under the 'watchful' gaze of former coach and Murali fan Bruce Yardley) and then 'modify' certain deliveries every now and then out on the pitch.

The experts are not dumb people.

It is impossible to modify your action in the lab without altering the speed of delivery...thaT will help the experts in detecting changes in action.

I do agree though, that nothing can stop any post-clearance player from resorting to his previous action. However, he can always be noballed again in such a case.

He is undoubtedly a very crafty little bugger

What the hell was that???? so you know him personally to make such a judgement??

 

[Arrow]

The experts are not dumb people.

It is impossible to modify your action in the lab without altering the speed of delivery...thaT will help the experts in detecting changes in action.

I do agree though, that nothing can stop any post-clearance player from resorting to his previous action. However, he can always be noballed again in such a case.

I think its about the spin not the speed that determines how much he throws the ball.
From watching the footage of the tests it looked like murali was just rolling his arm over,nothing like the sight of him ripping it in match conditions.
His face was also calm,no sight of the trade mark ugly faces he wears when hes trying his heart out.

The funniest and saddest aspect of this sham of a "test" was getting yardley the former sri lanken coach and out spoken murali supporter(lol) to judge his bowling legitmacy.
I honestly thought it was a joke when i read he was given the task.

Utter Utter JOKE.

 

[DJ]

I can't believe the ICC has actually deemed his doosra illegal. This is the first bit of balls they have demonstrated in a long, long time, although it wouldn't have been necessary had they had the balls to ban the chucker when he was first called. All this really means is that he can't bowl the doosra, although he's still allowed to chuck all his other deliveries.

Speaking of which, did anyone see him bowling the doosra in the recent ODI against the Zimbabwe U19 'C' team? A thoroughly disgraceful act I thought, bowling a delivery that has just been deemed illegal, even though the 6 week grace period is still in effect. And the fact that he hasn't been told to stop bowling it by his board is equally disgraceful.

All laughs and smiles when the rulings are in your favour, but toys-out-the-crib when it isn't.

 

[luckyeddie]

I can't believe the ICC has actually deemed his doosra illegal. This is the first bit of balls they have demonstrated in a long, long time, although it wouldn't have been necessary had they had the balls to ban the chucker when he was first called. All this really means is that he can't bowl the doosra, although he's still allowed to chuck all his other deliveries.

Speaking of which, did anyone see him bowling the doosra in the recent ODI against the Zimbabwe U19 'C' team? A thoroughly disgraceful act I thought, bowling a delivery that has just been deemed illegal, even though the 6 week grace period is still in effect. And the fact that he hasn't been told to stop bowling it by his board is equally disgraceful.

All laughs and smiles when the rulings are in your favour, but toys-out-the-crib when it isn't.

Welcome to the world of international cricket.

The 'chucking' thing has been done to death with respect to Murali's other deliveries. In short, if you ban him for those, you ban at least 10 others (I can think of at least one 'suspect' action in every test-playing nation over the last 2 years).

If you take it to its (il)logical conclusion and make hyper-extension (not the case here), bowling with a bent arm, flexion and any other deviance from poker-straight arms illegal, you ban EVERYONE.

I totally agree that, 6 weeks 'grace' or not, it was ridiculously stupid of Murali to use the doosra against Zimbabwe.

 

[DJ]

I'd like all the chuckers banned, not just Murali. Although the chuckers can thank Murali for them still being able to play international cricket.

In one of the recent Pakistan/India ODIs, the majority of the Pakistani attack consisted of pelters. I was horrified. This is something that has seriously turned me off cricket of late.

My list of bowlers who need immediate banning:
Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Malik
Shabbir Ahmed
Harbhajan Singh
Murali
James Kirtley
Brett Lee
Ian Harvey

 

[Slow Love™]

Speaking of which, did anyone see him bowling the doosra in the recent ODI against the Zimbabwe U19 'C' team? A thoroughly disgraceful act I thought, bowling a delivery that has just been deemed illegal, even though the 6 week grace period is still in effect. And the fact that he hasn't been told to stop bowling it by his board is equally disgraceful.

Apparently the Sri Lankan Cricket Board did tell him not to bowl the doosra in these matches - but he bowled it anyway.

As a result, many people that believed that his action might have been dubious, but also thought that he was the innocent victim of all the controversy, now have a more negative view of his character. Out of curiosity, does anybody know if he bowled the doosra in the second ODI?

 

[marc71178]

He took a wicket with it according to the Cricinfo commentary.

 

[Slow Love™]

Murali, Murali, Murali.... It's possible I suppose that the Cricinfo guy misidentified it, but if not, I don't know what Murali thinks he's doing.

 

[PY]

Murali, Murali, Murali.... It's possible I suppose that the Cricinfo guy misidentified it, but if not, I don't know what Murali thinks he's doing.

He testing how far he can go before the ICC come down hard on him.

And considering past efforts by the ICC, I don't really blame him.

 

[anzac]

He testing how far he can go before the ICC come down hard on him.

And considering past efforts by the ICC, I don't really blame him.

ok - so no more Mr Nice Guy & the kid gloves come off.............

while he could perhaps claim confusion or whatever led to him using the delivery in the 1st ODI as it was pre the ICC report, there is however NO excuse for him using it in any subsequent match IMO.............

just because many people think the rule & guideline is flawed is no reason to show a total lack of respect to the world governing body........I hope the ICC has the balls to take him to task and ban him for chucking as a result of using an illegal delivery.............he already seems to think he is untouchable - if the ICC do not ban him then this will confirm it!!!!!!

 

[DJ]

Apparently the Sri Lankan Cricket Board did tell him not to bowl the doosra in these matches - but he bowled it anyway.

Then I hope that his board take him to task over it.




HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!! Of course they will...................

 

[Langeveldt]

They will never ban Muralitharan... Because if they come to the conclusion that he is an illegal bowler, then it leaves them with egg on their faces because he has already got 500 test wickets...

Oops? Biggest oops ever in cricket...

 

[Neil Pickup]

Everyone knows my opinion on the Murali issue.

However - the fact that he's been told by both the ICC and the BCCSL to stop bowling the doosra and is still doing it is a) stupid, b) stupid and c) stupid.

If I were umpiring, I'd call it for throwing in an instant.

 

[Langeveldt]

Sadly, umpires will not sacrifice their career by exercising their right to call a bowler though...

 

[marc71178]

The current rules don't call for that though do they?

And regardless of that, it is only the Doosra that is illegal, a lot of people seem to have forgotten that.

 

[anzac]

Everyone knows my opinion on the Murali issue.

However - the fact that he's been told by both the ICC and the BCCSL to stop bowling the doosra and is still doing it is a) stupid, b) stupid and c) stupid.

If I were umpiring, I'd call it for throwing in an instant.

maybe the reasoning behind his being 'rested' for the 3rd & 4th ODIs.........

perhaps a bit of a power play behind he scenes between player & board??????

 

[PY]

ok - so no more Mr Nice Guy & the kid gloves come off.............

while he could perhaps claim confusion or whatever led to him using the delivery in the 1st ODI as it was pre the ICC report, there is however NO excuse for him using it in any subsequent match IMO.............

just because many people think the rule & guideline is flawed is no reason to show a total lack of respect to the world governing body........I hope the ICC has the balls to take him to task and ban him for chucking as a result of using an illegal delivery.............he already seems to think he is untouchable - if the ICC do not ban him then this will confirm it!!!!!!

Believe me, I completely agree with you.

It was flagrant disrespect towards the governing body of the sport (ICC) but it has to said that the ICC has tiptoed around Murali for ages and while I think it is disgusting, I can why he thought he would be able to get away with it.

I actually hope that he was dropped for bowling the doosra because it might show him as mortal as opposed to the demi-god he seems to think he is in the cricketing world.

Definitely gone down in my books.