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I feared for my career over throwing claims: Murali
London, Aug 06: Sri Lanka spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan has revealed that he feared his career was over when he was called for throwing in 1995-1996.
London, Aug 06: Sri Lanka spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan has revealed that he feared his career was over when he was called for throwing in 1995-1996.
The 31-year-old off-spinner, who has 459 Test wickets and 342 one-day victims, has always attracted criticism over his action which he claims is due to a birth deformity which prevents him from straightening his right elbow.
The controversy came to a head on the tour to Australia in 1995 when he was no-balled by Darrell Hair for throwing seven times in the Melbourne Test. He was also called for throwing by umpires Ross Emerson and Tony McQuillan in a limited-overs match in Brisbane.
"I was shocked," Murali tells the August edition of a renowned cricket magazine.
"I had never considered the possibility of my action being illegal. I first thought the Australians were scared of me, and that it was just one umpire. But when Emerson and the other guy called me again, I wondered if there might be a problem," said the wily spinner. "Deep down I believed everything was all right because throwing and bowling are completely different - one requires the shoulder and the other the elbow. You can feel the difference. But there were times when I thought that it might be the end of my career," Murali said.
Muralitharan has been cleared twice by the International Cricket Council (ICC), but the controversy returned to haunt him when Sri Lanka toured Australia again in 1998-1999.
"We expected that," said Murali. "Leading up to the match we knew it was going to happen.
When he was called again by Emerson in a one-day international against England in Adelaide in January 1999, it led to skipper Arjuna Ranatunga leading his players towards the dressing-room.
The match was held up for ten minutes while Muralitharan was also mercilessly taunted by the unforgiving Australian crowds.
"The Sri Lankan board, Arjuna, Aravinda de Silva and the team all gave me their full backing and that reduced my fears. Ranatunga really pushed the cricket board, and maybe he did save my career," he said.
Despite his altercations with hair, Murali said that he shared a good relationship with the Australian official.
Bureau Report
The controversy came to a head on the tour to Australia in 1995 when he was no-balled by Darrell Hair for throwing seven times in the Melbourne Test. He was also called for throwing by umpires Ross Emerson and Tony McQuillan in a limited-overs match in Brisbane.
"I was shocked," Murali tells the August edition of a renowned cricket magazine.
"I had never considered the possibility of my action being illegal. I first thought the Australians were scared of me, and that it was just one umpire. But when Emerson and the other guy called me again, I wondered if there might be a problem," said the wily spinner. "Deep down I believed everything was all right because throwing and bowling are completely different - one requires the shoulder and the other the elbow. You can feel the difference. But there were times when I thought that it might be the end of my career," Murali said.
Muralitharan has been cleared twice by the International Cricket Council (ICC), but the controversy returned to haunt him when Sri Lanka toured Australia again in 1998-1999.
"We expected that," said Murali. "Leading up to the match we knew it was going to happen.
When he was called again by Emerson in a one-day international against England in Adelaide in January 1999, it led to skipper Arjuna Ranatunga leading his players towards the dressing-room.
The match was held up for ten minutes while Muralitharan was also mercilessly taunted by the unforgiving Australian crowds.
"The Sri Lankan board, Arjuna, Aravinda de Silva and the team all gave me their full backing and that reduced my fears. Ranatunga really pushed the cricket board, and maybe he did save my career," he said.
Despite his altercations with hair, Murali said that he shared a good relationship with the Australian official.
Bureau Report