Don't boo Murali says Symonds

[King]

ANDREW Symonds has implored Australian crowds to celebrate the feats of Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan if he eclipses Shane Warne's world record this summer. More... Don't boo Murali says Symonds July 21, 2007 ANDREW Symonds has implored Australian crowds to celebrate the feats of Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan if he eclipses Shane Warne's world record this summer. The controversial tweaker has regularly been tormented by local fans, having been called for throwing during two separate tours of Australia during the 1990s. The Kandy man is poised to topple Warne as the highest Test wicket-taker this November on Australian soil, needing just eight more scalps to equal the legspinner's 708 victims. But Symonds said Muralitharan deserved to be shown respect if he achieved the milestone in either Brisbane (Nov 8-12) or in Hobart (Nov 16-20) later this year. "Definitely it would be embarrassing for us as a team if they didn't," Symonds said. "We respect him for his skills and for what he has done and I think it would be rude, straight out rude, if they didn't sort of respect him and give him the pat on the back he deserves." Australian spectators have regularly taunted the off-spinner with shouts of "no-ball" as he delivers the ball and they may feel aggrieved to watch Warne's record fall less than 12 months after his remarkable final series. "I just hope the beer drinkers in the sun don't give him a hard time and late one afternoon if he breaks the record they start on him," said Symonds, a good friend of Muralitharan having played together at English county side Lancashire. "I hope that doesn't happen, I hope people can stand up and actually applaud him for what he is, a legend of a game." Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland agreed that Muralitharan's efforts ought to be celebrated. "Each to their own how they do that, but it has been 700 wickets and whatever it is for breaking Shane's record is a remarkable achievement and well worth celebrating," he said. "We would prefer an Australian to hold the record for the most number of wickets but the reality is that records are there to be broken. "I think it's a great opportunity to celebrate the privilege that we have had over the last decade or so to watch two of the greatest bowlers of all time do their stuff." Muralitharan, however, is no certainty to reach Warne's record with the Australians having handled the rubbery-wristed bowler as well as any side in world cricket. Only India enjoys a better record against Muralitharan in Tests while the world No.1 side has its best numbers against him in the one-day arena. The 35-year-old Muralitharan collected 28 wickets in three Tests in his last series against Australia on the spin-friendly decks of his homeland in early 2004. However he has only played three Tests on Australian soil due to the dramas over his action and he skipped the 2004 tour after Prime Minister John Howard accused him of being a chucker. Muralitharan has never played at the Gabba or Bellerive, his Test appearances in Australia restricted to Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. The Gabba has traditionally favoured seamers but Warne enjoyed success during his career by using the pitch's bounce to his advantage. "The record will come sometime in the near future, but I am not sure it will happen in Australia because the wickets there usually help fast bowlers," Muralitharan said after taking his 700th wicket this week. "I don't know how much I will get to bowl in Australia because our fast bowlers could grab most of the wickets." AAP

[King]

Good on Symonds. Lest he sees things as it is. No booing is going to help I feel, Murali is going to take a lot of wicket and nothing can really ward him off.

[Donny]

Why do you think he'll take wickets in Oz, Ravi ?

[observer1]

symonds, the man who runs over pigs when he is bored, the mouthpiece for good manners. oh, what has the world come to?

[Donny]

Yes. Had to chuckle a bit over Symmo speaking up for good manners. "Australian spectators have regularly taunted the off-spinner with shouts of "no-ball" as he delivers the ball and they may feel aggrieved to watch Warne's record fall less than 12 months after his remarkable final series." What absolute rubbish! A stupid generalisation where a few idiots become 'Australian crowds' or supposedly represent what Aussies think .

[CC1981]

If i were to predict, Murali would take 8-10 wickets @ 25-30 in Australia. Australia isnt stupid enough to prepare anything but the greenest of tracks to play the sri lankans. Vaas on seam-frinendly surface is nowhere close to being the same threat as Murali on spin friendly or flat -tops. And SL top order is shaky against quality pace bowling in swinging conditions.

[CC1981]

A stupid generalisation where a few idiots become 'Australian crowds' or supposedly represent what Aussies think .

I didnt know that an entire section of the stand qualifies as 'few idiots'.

[The Outsider]

First Cricket Australia and now Symonds. Wonder why Dony was thinking it was a figment of my imagination that Murali was booed by the crowd.

[Donny]

Wonder no more. This nonsensical notion that the same people come to the same Test every day and in every city persists. As in your reference to 'the crowd' as if it's one entity. Or CC's exaggeration of "an entire section of the stand" as if he was there counting who was doing it. Even when the Barmy Army is singing their dreary dirges, there are many amongst them who are not. Perfect example. Even when many, many people in an Indian crowd incessantly blow horns, once again, would it be reasonable to say Indian crowds are always blowing horns ? No. It's a stupid and disrespectful generalisation.

[yoda]

Australian spectators have regularly taunted the off-spinner with shouts of "no-ball" as he delivers the ball and they may feel aggrieved to watch Warne's record fall less than 12 months after his remarkable final series.

disgusting, these people. i am sure 100% of them are racist bastards.

[CC1981]

Or CC's exaggeration of "an entire section of the stand" as if he was there counting who was doing it.

Mate, its not hard to see few hundred jaundiced folks from one section of the stand stand up, stick their arm out and cry 'no-ball' in unison. Its the same kind of behaviour form soccer hooligans in european soccer.

[kumble_rocks]

disgusting' date=' these people. i am sure 100% of them are racist bastards.[/quote'] Think about it , even Indian spectators also shout racist taunts like "Kaalia" (Blackie) or "Kala Kauaa"(Black Crow). I have witnessed this myself in Wankhede stadium when our own Kambli was called derogatory names concerning his color. I am sure the same is true in other stadiums when guys like Balaji used to be called "Kalaji".

[Gambit]

I agree. Australians should be more accommodating of javelin throwers. After all, that's also a sport.

[observer1]

I agree. Australians should be more accommodating of javelin throwers. After all' date=' that's also a sport.[/quote'] They certainly are accomodating Gambit saab. Brett Lee is one of their own countrymen, and is not averse to throwing a javelin - ask Abdul® Razzak(q)

[Gambit]

Touche observer :hysterical:

[gator]

i cant talk for others.....i have never watchced him in a stadium.... but i can guarantee, i will shout no-balll....

[Ram]

i cant talk for others.....i have never watchced him in a stadium.... but i can guarantee' date=' i will shout no-balll....[/quote'] Then there would be no difference between you and the mis-informed spectators in the Aussie crowd , I am afraid to say.

[gator]

Then there would be no difference between you and the mis-informed spectators in the Aussie crowd ' date=' I am afraid to say.[/quote'] yes...we all understand tht he cheats and we will not be wearing these....... brown-tinted glasses..

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[Ram]

Lol @ the pic... It is unfortunate that you are not willing to accept comprehensive scientific evidence which says Murali flexion in his arm is akin to most bowlers who have a place among the cricketing records. You are going by what you "see". Unfortunately , things are not what they seem to be.