Sports

Sports

Thank you Bruce Elliott
Thank you Murali. Thank you Dr. Bruce Elliott. Together the two of you have opened the 'Pandora's box' of cricket. The revelation of this episode is that "those who live in glass houses should not pelt stones at the others".

From the time Muttiah Muralitharan came into the field of the "big boys" in Cricket they castigated him. They tried to cage him, brand him and most of all throw him out of the game for ever, may be just because they knew what he is capable of. When he was first called by Mr. Darrel Hair ten years ago what the mighty egoist did not know was that finally he had opened the 'Pandora's box'. While Arjuna and co. fought it out in the middle ' down under ', the then president of the cricket board Ana Punchihewa and his executive committee put their heads together in a very productive manner till they finally put him back on track.

Finally it was proved scientifically proved that Murali bent his arm less than 5 degrees. But, the pundit's in the West and the East in the likes of Ted Corbet and Bishen Singh Bedi never let Murali go on with his business. Adding fuel to fire the so called infallible Ian Botham and Co. saw to that Murali was left out at the last ICC's inaugural recognition of its cricketers and their contributions to the game of cricket. Then came the revelation. The ICC announced that they will scrutinize all bowlers and their actions in playing conditions during the their own mini World Cup in England. Ironically Muralitharan was injured prior to that and is still away from the game. But, as promised the scrutiny went on. Then came the revelation. Alas! now they have found out that 99% of them are "pelters" and named among the leaders in the flouting gang are revered cricketers in the likes of Glenn McGrath of Australia and South Africa's Shaun Pollock.

The can of worms was opened. The ' pie throwing ' contest has just begun. Now the West has come out and is yelling Oh my god! even Ian Botham himself, Deniss Lilee and even Fred Truman were 'chuckers'. Too late in the day it's sad but it also may be true.

The next phase of this episode will take in February 2005 when the heads of the respective Boards meet up to ratify the ICC bowling committee decision. What the out come of that ratification is now almost irrelevant. The truth has come out. There is dust under every carpet. Every Australian is not a racist. There are even people in the calibre of Bruce Elliott living in there.

Top