Brisbane, Dec 15: Sri Lankan offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan bowled with an illegal action and didn't deserve to be credited as the best test bowler in cricket, former international umpire Ross Emerson said.
Emerson, who hasn't stood in an international match since he no-balled Muralitharan for "chucking" during a one-dayer in Adelaide three seasons ago, told Brisbane's Sunday mail newspaper that most umpires were too afraid of backlash to question the Sri Lankan's action.
Wisden, the respected cricket almanac, on Friday rated Muralitharan as the no. 1 bowler in test cricket and Australia's Sir Donald Bradman the greatest batsmen ever.
Emerson said the decision to elevate Muralitharan, who has 437 wickets in 78 tests, above West Indian paceman Courtney Ambros (519 wickets in 132 tests) and Australian legspinner Shane Warne (491 wickets in 107 tests) as a `"disgrace" and a "joke".

"I still consider his action illegal, as do most umpires around the world, but they won't do anything about it because they're worried about their jobs," Emerson was quoted saying in a back page article headlined: "You're still a chucker."
"Privately, all the top umpires say he throws but they've seen all the trouble that can happen if you call him, so they won't".
Another Australian umpire, Darrell Hair, called Muraliharan for chucking in the fourth test against Australia in 1995 at Melbourne. Emerson no-balled him 1996 and again in 1998-99, although the 30-year-old spinner's action hasn't come under much scrutiny elsewhere. Bureau Report