Sri Lanka agitated by Murali helping Australia’s bowlers [Update Post 13: SLC complains to CA against Murali]

[Malcolm Merlyn]

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Sri Lankan eyebrows have been raised by the presence of spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan in the Australian camp ahead of the Test series that begins tomorrow with one commentator pointing out he had been the victim of repeated indignities during his visits to Australia.

Murali was hired as a coach on a short-term contract before the series and has worked closely with Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe.

O’Keefe, who took 10 wickets in the tour game last week, credited the Sri Lankan great with helping his performance. The batsmen too have benefited from having Murali, whose 800 Test wickets are the most in the history of the game, bowl to them during the extended preparation in Sri Lanka.

Murali hosted the Australians for dinner last night after helping at training during the day.

There are rumblings that Murali’s presence in the opposition camp has not gone down well with some of the Sri Lankan players, and senior cricket writer Rex Clementine wrote a piece in The Island newspaper yesterday exploring the controversy.

While acknowledging that many players coach foreign teams — South African great Allan Donald is working with the Australians as a bowling coach and Australia’s Trevor Bayliss has turned around England’s fortunes — Clementine suggested it was strange to see Murali working for a country that had treated him so poorly when he played.

“Murali has had much trouble in Australia during his playing days,” he wrote in The Island. “Obviously he was called for chucking on three separate occasions by two Australian umpires. He was even attacked with rotten eggs by some hooligans when the Sri Lankan team was down under in 2008.

“Murali in fact boycotted Sri Lanka’s tour of Australia in 2004 when then Australian prime minister John Howard called him a chucker. A few years later, when Australia pushed Howard forward to become the president of the International Cricket Council, cricket’s ‘wisest’ men — Nishantha Ranatunga and D.S. de Silva — shot his name down, pointing out that Howard had shown disrespect to one of our cricketers.”

While Murali appeared to have moved on from his poor treatment by fans, umpires and prime ministers, the locals find it odd that he would be helping the opposition ahead of Tests that will decide the fate of the Warne-Muralitharan trophy.

The champion bowler was called for throwing by Australian umpire Darrell Hair during the Boxing Day Test in 1995 and again by another local, Ross Emerson, 10 days later during an ODI at the Adelaide Oval. He was cleared by the game’s authorities and defended by Sir Don Bradman at the time.

Emerson called him again during a game in Adelaide three years later, a move that almost caused an international incident.

There was another controversy on the eve of the unveiling of the Warne-Muralitharan trophy in 2007 when Warne suggested the Sri Lankan bowler be retested.

Murali hit back and Warne had to backtrack ahead of a joint public appearance by the two. The trophy features a cast of both their hands gripping the cricket ball.

O’Keefe was glowing in his praise of Murali. “Murali has always got something to say, which is great,” he said. “We get feedback each time we come up after each session and he gives us hints about the field or the way they might play. He is a massive help.”

Murali has, according to reports, always been on hand to help the Sri Lankan bowlers and never charged for his services.

Sri Lankan cricket has carried a large debt since borrowing heavily to construct stadiums for the 2011 World Cup and does not spend much money on coaching staff.

Tomorrow’s first Test will be held at the Pallekele ground in Kandy. The stadium, which was almost entirely rebuilt for the event, is now in a state of disrepair.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/cricket/sri-lanka-agitated-by-murali-helping-australias-bowlers/news-story/5048ec6a381cb0fbd385a5160c07c5ff

Edited July 25, 2016 by Malcolm Merlyn

[Adi_91]

If they want to stop him, let them hire them as a bowling coach.

[Temujin Khaghan]

murali, saqlain and some other pak and lankan players suffer from lack of financial opportunities.. there is nothing wrong in them seeking employment elsewhere when not offered in the home cricketing setup.

[Adi_91]

Also, Saqlain Mushtaq taught English batsmen on how to handle Yasir Shah and Shah was tonked for 250 runs in the ongoing test against Pakistan. Don't think PCB has sought an explanation from Mushtaq yet.

[Temujin Khaghan]

1 hour ago, Adi_91 said:

Also, Saqlain Mushtaq taught English batsmen on how to handle Yasir Shah and Shah was tonked for 250 runs in the ongoing test against Pakistan. Don't think PCB has sought an explanation from Mushtaq yet.

if iam not wrong, he has got british citizenship... the time to ask him for an explanation is long passed...

many pak cricketers are literally on the road after retirement due to lack of income... only a few like inzi, wasim are saved

[moniker]

It's free market economics. He got an offer from a place where his skills could be better utilized. He took up the job. Why should he care if his employer is looked at as a rival by his previous organization? He's an individual looking for a job.

It's just sports. It isn't like he's waging a war against his country. No one owes anything to their previous employer if they've quit from there and are looking for a job elsewhere. Attaching patriotism to sports doesn't make sense from a capitalistic viewpoint.

[SLICKR392]

Well, Murali is wise enough to figure out that there is no point helping Sri Lanka anymore. 

[Adi_91]

32 minutes ago, Temujin Khaghan said:

if iam not wrong, he has got british citizenship... the time to ask him for an explanation is long passed...

many pak cricketers are literally on the road after retirement due to lack of income... only a few like inzi, wasim are saved

Oh, I didn't know that. Still, I thought PCB would have questioned his patriotism (after all they love dramebaazi, LOL). 

[TheWall]

Nothing wrong in what murali is doing. Everone has got a right to earn his livelihood legally....

[MCcricket]

Perhaps Murali is too good a person then most of us n it seems odd he is helping the Sissies who were very bad with their treatment of him, also I dont think Murali would get 1/5 the wkts he would today if he played in current era as there is not doubt he straightened his arm, when u release the ball with ur palm facing the sky n finger opening for. That position it is impossible to not straighten ur arm to a large extent

[Nova]

Sangakarra defends Murali:

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Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara tweeted in support of Murali on Monday evening. "Murali is a great son of Sri Lanka and he doesn't have to defend himself. He loves his country," Sangakkara wrote. "He is free to consult or coach anyone. If SLC had ever asked him to coach Sri Lanka, he always will. His consultancy with anyone is a way he can give back to the game.

"He has given his best to his country on the field and off. He is always available for his country, all they have to do is ask. We [should be] proud of him. If any Sri Lankan spinner walks up to [Murali] and asks him about bowling, he will be the first to spend as much time as needed to help. Free."

Murali power...

 

 

[Laaloo]

4 minutes ago, Nova said:

Sangakarra defends Murali:

Murali power...

 

 

[Malcolm Merlyn]

 

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SLC lodge complaint against Muralitharan with CA

Muttiah Muralitharan, the former Sri Lankan spinner who is working with the Australian team as a spin consultant ahead of the three-Test series in Sri Lanka, and Charith Senanayake, the Sri Lankan team manager, were allegedly involved in a verbal altercation, following which Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) lodged a complaint with Cricket Australia (CA) on Monday (July 25).

It is alleged that Muralitharan tried to influence the pitch preparations and asked for a spin-friendly track for the warm-up clash at the P Sara Oval. The Australians cantered to a massive win by an innings and 62 runs against the Sri Lankans, with Steve O'Keefe, the 31-year-old left-arm spinner, ending with match figures of 10 for 64.

The former Sri Lankan spinner confronted Senanayake and rubbished the allegations. "Charith has accused [me] and told the media that I have cut the grass on the pitch to help Australia's spin bowlers to take the wickets in the three-day game. That's a lie," Murali said. "When I met him I asked him: 'We played together and respected each other, why are you telling lies?', he told me that they have just made an inquiry.

"The Tamil Union wicket was made at the time by Janaka Sampath, who is the SLC board curator. They should clarify from him what actually happened, rather than going on rumour."

Muralitharan was also left unimpressed after the Australian team was not allowed to carry out fielding drills inside the venue ahead of the first Test. Murali allegedly stormed into the venue and SLC accused him of conducting training on the centre wicket without taking prior permission.

Thilanga Sumathipala, the SLC president, confirmed that the board had lodged a complaint with the visiting team for the violation. "There are two problems here," Sumathipala said. "The first is that Charith Senanayake has made a complaint that he had been berated. The second is that a certain training session for the Australia players at Pallekele had been carried out without permission."

Sumathipala also cried foul over the prospects of Muralitharan's association with Australia helping the visitors perform better, and stated that the home board was 'very hurt' by the alliance.

"We're very disappointed because Murali is a player the board spent a lot of effort saving," he said. "We saved him three times. From a professional standpoint, there is no problem with him working with the Australian team. But the issue here is an ethical one. We've named the trophy the Murali-Warne trophy.

"And I remember once when we went to Kandy with Murali, he was on a truck and there was so much support for him that it took four hours for him to get home. Kandy is his hometown, and he's now had to coach an opposition team at Pallekele. Regardless of professionalism, we're very hurt by this."

Muralitharan has had several run-ins with Australia and endured a stormy relationship with them throughout his career over chucking allegations. However, the two have now buried the hatchet and found a way to work together. Muralitharan took a thin-veiled dig at Sri Lanka Cricket for having a problem with it.

"I know in '95 and '96 I had problems against Australia, and the whole of Sri Lanka backed me," Muralitharan said. "I thought that when Australia asked me to coach, that's them saying that I didn't do anything wrong - that I am correct and they were wrong at the time. That's them proving it by asking me to train their spinners.

"Does SLC think that just because I coach Australia for 10 days, Australia will win? If that's the case I am the best coach in the world, and Sri Lanka should hire me every time, and we will win every time."

"These people who are accusing me should go and look in the mirror [and compare] what they are doing to the country and what I am doing," he pointed out. "The other fundamental wrong is that when our players become brilliant coaches, the board chases them off. I'm talking about Chandika Hathurusingha, Chaminda Vaas, Marvan Atapattu, Mario Villavarayan, and Thilan Samaraweera, who went to Australia. These people are all working in different countries where they are valued more than [they are] here.

"What we do is bring all the top coaches from abroad when we [already] have the talent. We are not using it. Am I the traitor or are they the traitors? When they pay also - the foreign coaches are paid so much more than the Sri Lankan coaches."

Muralitharan's appointment by Cricket Australia stems from their quest to leave no stones unturned to be well-prepared for unfamiliar conditions in the sub-continent and improve their record there. Before Muralitharan, the visitors had hired Thilan Samaraweera, another former Sri Lankan, to work with some of the Australian batsmen at Australia's National Cricket Centre in Brisbane ahead of the tour.

 

http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/81561/sri-lanka-cricket-lodge-complaint-against-muttiah-muralitharan-with-cricket-australia

[Nova]

1 minute ago, Malcolm Merlyn said:

We've named the trophy the Murali-Warne trophy.

And Murali helping the Aussies to win the trophy.  Oh the irony.

 

[Adi_91]

This is all unnecessary drama from SLC. The cricket in SL is so poor now that even visiting teams are thrashing their A teams left right and center. Instead of addressing the immediate concern surrounding their cricket, they are indulging in mud slinging.

[Vilander]

Murali is Tamil, this is bound to happen. Poor guy

[bowl_out]

Butt hurt SLC going the Bangla way..

Grow up and win the game with runs and wickets, not with theories and allegations..

 

Btw, SL got all the way through to the WC final with Tom Moody as coach in 2007... He couldn't help them get any close to victory against the Aus.. Why could SL not get insider info into Ponting's plans? Coz coaches are only for technical guidance and some level of strategic planning, nothing more.

[Nova]

38 minutes ago, Vilander said:

Murali is Tamil, this is bound to happen. Poor guy

Why bring ethnicity into this? The same Murali was defended by SLC when he was called a chucker by the Aussies.

[Malcolm Merlyn]

Why bring ethnicity into this? The same Murali was defended by SLC when he was called a chucker by the Aussies.

Ethnicity does matter in SL.At that time Murali was needed by Lankans.Now they dont.

[Nova]

1 minute ago, Malcolm Merlyn said:

Ethnicity does matter in SL.At that time Murali was needed by Lankans.Now they dont.

I guess so. SLC need to treat their former players right. Murali, I'm sure will help in coaching if needed.