Sports
|
||||
Bradman defended Murali In a book titled "Chuckers", compiled by Australian Bernard Whimpress the legendary Sir Donald Bradman has paid a glowing tribute to Muralitharan and has also questioned umpire Darrell Hair's controversial no balling of Muralitharan and had gone on to say that it was technically impossible. The book "Chuckers" has published conversations Sir Donald Bradman had had with Tom Thompson between 1995 and 1998 and relayed via his web site at www.bradmancopyrightmaterials.com.au. Excerpts from the book :"Murali, for me, shows perhaps the highest discipline of any spin bowler since the war. He holds all the guile of the trade, but something else too. His slight stature masked a prodigious talent, and what a boon he has been for cricket's development on the subcontinent". "It is with this in mind, and with the game's need to engage as a world sport, that I found umpire Darrel Hare's [sic Hair) calling of Murali so distasteful. It was technically impossible of umpire Hare to call Murali from the bowler's end, even once! Why was his eye not on the foot-fall and crease? I believe Hare's action - in one over - took the development of world cricket back by 10 years. For me, this was the worst example of umpiring that I have witnessed, and against everything the game stands for. Clearly Murali does not throw the ball. No effort in that direction is made or implied by him. His every effort is to direct the ball unto the batsman! Murali wants to bamboozle, to trick through flight and change of pace. That through his ordeal he has remained both composed and modest rings further truth in his favour. His is the stuff of our greatest slow bowlers, and for me is one, like O'Reilly, Warne or Trumble; who are game breakers. They detect and then imagine the batsman's weakness, perhaps in an over or two. What a weapon for any captain. To have the discipline to contain, and the bamboozle!" |
||||
Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers
Ltd. All rights reserved. |
