8 May 1999
Muralitharan is not a chucker, says Robin Smith
Sa'adi Thawfeeq
Northampton, Friday - Former England batsman Robin Smith does not
believe off-spinner Muthiah Muralitharan chucks and ranks him as one
of the greatest spinners the game has ever produced.
Writing in the World Cup '99 souvenir, Smith says: "I want to go on
record as saying I don't believe that Muralitharan is a chucker. We
should forget all about this throwing nonsense and let the lad get on
with his cricket without fear of contravening the laws.
"His action has been passed fit by a special ICC panel. End of story.
Nothing was picked-up on video by the England Cricket Board when he
played against the counties - prior to the Oval Test match - last
summer. Plus, he has a doctor's certificate saying he can't
straighten his arm. His bowling action starts with a bent arm and
finishes with a bent arm. That does not constitute a throw.
"Leave him alone, and let's give a warm welcome to one of the
greatest spinners the game has ever seen".
Dav Whatmore, who coached Sri Lanka to win the World Cup three years
ago, and presently Lancashire coach, says that "Sri Lanka has a much
higher level of expectation to contend with, (in the present World
Cup) both within themselves, and also from the public because of the
previous superb World Cup tournament and some wonderful performances
intermittently since then".
Talking of Sri Lanka's chances of retaining the title in the '1999
Cricket World Cup official magazine', Whatmore writes: "Sri Lanka are
still highly respected as a one-day team but outside of the Asian
countries opposition teams probably fancy their chances a bit more".
Whatmore says that Sri Lanka should shift slightly the strategy of
the way they bat and play more conservatively in the first 15 overs
because in conditions in May and June, the ball will move around in
the air.
He figures Sanath Jayasuriya, Aravinda de Silva and Muthiah
Muralitharan as the three key players in his opinion with the captain
Arjuna Ranatunga, a close fourth.
"To me Ranatunga is the calming influence within that batting team.
He has some very fine qualities, he is a religious man and a really
strong family man, but also single-minded on certain issues. You can
see the steel in his eyes and his body language, and he will not
often change to please other people. He has had a lot of success that
way but it does tend itself to controversy," says Whatmore.
The former coach ranks Upul Chandana as good as Jonty Rhodes and
Ricky Ponting, and says "he has not been given the credit he
deserves. He is a little whippet who is very quick with a hard throw.
He is also useful with his leg breaks, and he can handle the bat".
Whatmore considers Marvan Atapattu as "having as much ability as
Aravinda de Silva and a superb stroke player in the David Gower
mould". "With each innings he plays, he gets more accustomed to the
level of pressure in international cricket".
Recalling the World Cup triumph of three years ago, Whatmore writes:
"We did not go into the World Cup thinking we were going to win it.
It was only after the last of the league games, when we played India
in front of a packed crowd and beat them, that I knew we had a really
good chance of shaking it. I said to the boys you can only do your
best, see how you go, and it all worked out well in the end ".
Source :: The Daily News (https://www.lanka.net/lakehouse/)