Murali may now tour

[JASON]

Anyway, in regards to Murali, it was ridiculous IMO to not tour in the first place. A little bit childish I would have thought. If he cant put up with a bit of stick from the crowd, then he needs to grow up a bit. Its part of the game.

Please see my post above.

 

[kasra]

No reason at all why the Aussie spectators shouldn't give him a verbal going-over either, provided it's in the 'spirit' of the game.

Not only that, if Murali's introduced to John Howard, he should smile politely and shake him warmly by the throat.

I agree, there is nothing wrong with fans giving a bit of "going-Over" in the spirit of the game. That is part of the game. But that has not necessarily happened always when Muralitharan tours Australia has it?

In the 2002/03 tour, Muralitharan pulled a hamstring/muscle in the outfield during a game in Brisbane and the Aussie fans applauded and laughed at it. I have never seen that happening in any sport let alone cricket. Was that in the 'spirit' of the game?

As for John Howard's comments, he has been PM long enough to know that when he comments on international issues, he as the PM is speaking for the country. That is the official position of the country. That is a lot different from some fan in the stands screaming "no-ball". You would expect Muralitharan to believe that the official position is that he is not welcome in Australia. It would only be human to believe that.

 

[age_master]

As for John Howard's comments, he has been PM long enough to know that when he comments on international issues, he as the PM is speaking for the country. That is the official position of the country. That is a lot different from some fan in the stands screaming "no-ball". You would expect Muralitharan to believe that the official position is that he is not welcome in Australia. It would only be human to believe that.

good to see the official position of the county is that Murali chucks :0 at leats we got something right.... John howard didn't say he didn't want murali to tour, he just said that they proved he was a chucka at UWA.

aside from that i will now quote the great man Kerry O'Keefe on the issue of the tests....
"Boy George would be considered straight at the University of Western Australia."

 

[mavric41]

He should retire while still on top.







John Howard that is.
Come on little Murali. Us big, bad Aussies don't bite that hard.

 

[marc71178]

good to see the official position of the county is that Murali chucks :0 at leats we got something right....

Actually, the UWA got it right, and the rest of the country are talking rubbish if you say he chucks.

 

[Ford_GTHO351]

Murali should should stop complaining and tour. He shouldn't be able to choose wheither he wants to come to Australia or not.

Gees in every country you go you'll get crowds who would not always say nice things but thats a part of being a full time professional cricketer.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

The best thing to do is tour and take lots of australian wickets...that'll annoy them

 

[marc71178]

And would be extremely funny!

 

[Slow Love™]

Murali should should stop complaining and tour. He shouldn't be able to choose wheither he wants to come to Australia or not.

Why on earth would you say that?

 

[age_master]

the SRL board should force him to tour or suspend him... but ofcourse they cant afford to do that...

 

[Waughney]

He should retire while still on top.







John Howard that is.
Come on little Murali. Us big, bad Aussies don't bite that hard.

On top??

 

[Craig]

Personally I think he (Murali) and the Sri Lankan Cricket Board get over it, grow up, and play cricket.

It isn't as though he isn't taking wickets.

 

[luckyeddie]

Personally I think he (Murali) and the Sri Lankan Cricket Board get over it, grow up, and play cricket.

It isn't as though he isn't taking wickets.

It's a case of 'once bitten, twice shy'.

I know that if I had been to Australia and been subjected to the abuse Murali had to put up with being hurled at him last time, and then a senior politician threw his hat into the ring too, I'd be having second thoughts.

As far as growing up is concerned, that can be pointed at many people inside and outside of the game. There aren't many toys IN the pram nowadays.

 

[Slow Love™]

the SRL board should force him to tour or suspend him... but ofcourse they cant afford to do that...

I don't see why they should do that. As a player, you're allowed to choose where you want to travel to (or not). Seeing as we allow this right for Australian, English players and everybody else, why can't Murali do the same? The main risk you run is that somebody else will get an opportunity, perform well and it might be hard to make it back into the team, but I think we can all acknowledge that Murali won't be put in that position.

Suspending a player for not making themselves available seems ridiculous - although I can see Pakistan doing it. I've been highly critical of Murali and the Sri Lankan cricket board, but I can't see anything wrong with Murali making the call over whether he wants to go to Australia or not. If it was Shane Warne, we wouldn't have a problem with it.

If the abuse was restricted to "chucker" or similar, I'd probably have a more negative view of Murali's feelings about coming to Australia (even though I think he WILL tour), but if you've gone to the cricket here when Murali plays (I can only speak for Melbourne), and experienced the atrocious racial insults hurled at him from hundreds of Australians at the ground, you'd have to have some sympathy for his position.

 

[Ford_GTHO351]

Why on earth would you say that?

Do you see other cricketers requesting not to tour just because they are critised, I don't think so.

This is what Shane Warne said about Murali not touring and I agree with what he said Murali over-sensitive to criticism: Warne

 

[Slow Love™]

Do you see other cricketers requesting not to tour just because they are critised, I don't think so.

This is what Shane Warne said about Murali not touring and I agree with what he said Murali over-sensitive to criticism: Warne

I read what Warne said a week or so ago, and I didn't disagree much. Warne's had to put up with booing at venues all over the world, so I appreciate he's got something to say on the matter.

However, criticizing Murali for being a chicken, or having a laugh at him for being so thin-skinned (although, as I said in my previous post, I think the racial abuse he experiences is way worse than being called a chucker, etc) is very different to insisting that he should be suspended for not making himself available. Cricketers have made themselves unavailable to tour for all sorts of reasons in the past, and they should have the right to do so. The possibility that somebody else might make your spot their own is enough of a consequence without enforced suspensions.

 

[Kenny]

I don't see why they should do that. As a player, you're allowed to choose where you want to travel to (or not).

I don't think so. Invariably these guys are under contract, and expected to play when they are required to play......I can't just not turn up for work if I feel like it, and neither can they, really.
MacGill's conscience vote was an exception I believe because of extenuating circumstances.

And I fail to see why Muralitharan would be subject to racial abuse when all other black players are not - when has any other black player complained of any racism in the last 20 years? ......I have also been to a game with him playing and I only heard the no-ball, chucker etc etc......often quite humorously I might add.
This racial abuse nonsense is the bleating of a Murali apologist I fear.

 

[PY]

Or just someone who has an open-mind, which from previous posts you don't, on the topic of Murali.

Who are you to say he hasn't been racially abused by Aussie crowds? You've been to one game? Not really a far indication.

 

[Linda]

It's a case of 'once bitten, twice shy'.

I know that if I had been to Australia and been subjected to the abuse Murali had to put up with being hurled at him last time, and then a senior politician threw his hat into the ring too, I'd be having second thoughts.

No you wouldn't, you'd be rolling in all your cash.

 

[marc71178]

MacGill's conscience vote was an exception I believe because of extenuating circumstances.

This racial abuse nonsense is the bleating of a Murali apologist I fear.

Yet you think it's OK for the White man to skip a tour...