It started because a "writer" -who is only trying to drum up traffic for his blog- had pasted across his list of who's the greatest players and why with Murali as the greatest bowler; clearly i could not let that one go through.
The result was typical fanatical sub-continental support, including the inability to come up with any sort of response to my points other than, "the ICC has cleared Murali!"
There is also a video linked to the 2nd last post of Murali bowling with a cast on. If anyone still has respect for Michael Slater and his soul-selling after watching...
i always wondered how Murali would bowl with some sort of device to restrict his straightening; now i know: it is exactly the same as his action when he did the biomechanical tests in Perth, ie- he changed it to suit his need to attain a pass. It is also evident he has lost HEAPS of control as it puts him more side on! You can be the judges on that one.
feel free to respond directly at: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/141128-no1-bowler-of-all-time-muttiah-murlitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan: No. 1 Bowler of All Time
Murali is without doubt the greatest off-spinner of all time, and, according to me, the greatest bowler of all time.
On an unspectacular Sri Lankan side, he has taken 735 wickets in Test matches and 503 wickets in ODI matches, which is more than anyone else.
He has also highest ODI wickets
His highest average in all forms of the game is 23.00, in ODI, and he has a 19.06 average in first-class, having recorded well over 1,000 wickets.
His most potent weapon is perhaps his infamous doosra—which no one has been able to master like he has.
sorry to say Pranav, but your opening line is wrong. There is a doubt as to whether Murali is the greatest off-spinner of all time; the doubt lies with his action, which will always include an asterisk next to his name in the record books.
Astute observers know that Murali changes his action when doing his biomechanical test- evident by his lack of accuracy, spin and affected flight. It was also easy to see that he came around a lot more in his action during tests than he does in games where he leads with the elbow more so that he can flick his arm forward more. This is the main fault in his action; not, as is often claimed that he bowls with a bent arm. It is not the bend that is wrong, it is the straightening on delivery. I doubt he would be at all effective if he maintained his bent elbow on release!
Murali 's desire to improve his lot in life early in his career is understandable- though it is unacceptable that he was prepared to cheat and disregard this great game- but the real villian is the ICC. They were to gutless to stand up and say, "he chucks! if he can stop, he is welcome to play (as he is a fine competitor), but his action is outside the rules!"
instead, they bowed to a union of the sub-continent that was manipulated by Sri Lanka under the guise of rasicm.
Now, the game has been tarnished FOREVER!
I ask you to view the footage from the Perth Biomechanical tests available on youtube and compare his action to game footage; if you can't see the differance, then your desire to hold Murali in this high esteem has outweighed your objectivness.
stoph verismo
down the wicket
THERE WAS A DOUBT WITH HIS ACTION BEFORE,BUT ICC HAS ALREADY GIVEN HIM THE CLEARANCE.
no need to YELL!
that is why i was criticle of the ICC, because THEY got it wrong when approving his action. And they approved it for political reasons, not cricketing; hence why they changed the degree of flex. he has been cleared, to the detriment of the game.
he has been cleared, but watch how many players come out after they and Murali retire and say they believe he chucks.
What a load of horse crap. There is no further doubt in his action. There was a doubt and numerous test have ALL cleared him. So there is no doubt.
Watch the video below and end your ignorance. Wisden, Bradman anything that matters in Cricket has stated he is the greatest. A few clowns in cricket claims he chucks.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/125820-muttiah-muralitharan-bowling-with-an-arm-brace
Thank you Seth, with this video you helped alleviated my last doubt- the one where i said, "I wonder if he still had the same action if he had a cast or some elbow restrictive device on?"
Now, thanks to your video, i KNOW i was right about Murali!
Dictionaries define IGNORANCE as a: Lack of knowledge, or awareness. So your declaration of my ignorance thankfully only shows up yours. As i am open minded to that which is outside of what is presented to me by the popular media... most likely due to the fact i have studied the means and manipulations of the modern media; clearly something you have been easily manipulated by!
In other words, i am able to make a judgement based on the FACTS presented to me, not the media hype; and all of its subversive manipulations! It's ok, most people are happy to accept what they are told in the media to be true; you are not exceptional in this; or your understanding of cricket!
So, in regard to your "conclusive" video that shows me to be ignorant and spouting "horse crap" (thanks for reinforcing your argument with such a technical term that offers nothing and only diminishes your credibility):
Let’s start with the media representation of this video.
Both the presenter and Slater showed NO neutrality or unbiased delivery in their presentation, (their agenda was obvious from the start!). In fact the presenter was positively gushing in his praise of Murali and the "proof" before the viewer had a chance to make their own mind up. A clear sign of his bias before the "proof". In real media terms, this amounts to nothing more than editorial, which is not a true representation of fact; only one persons opinion!
If Wisden is something that matters to you, why did they pick Warne over Murali in their 5 cricketers of the century when Murali was so close on the record tally, and it was clear that he would overtake Warne in his eventual tally. Why? Because they didn't have faith in Murali as a "real" cricketer, and for fear that in time, sense will prevail and he will be seen as a product of threats by the Asian block... once again, he is only there because the ICC changed the rules to include him!
By the way, why does the rest of the subcontinent feel the need to get on board and push for legitimising Murali? it comes across as paranoia and smacks of pushing a further agenda, and looks very poor for every country apart from (well, including!) Sri Lanka.
As for Bradman; his connections to the ACB/CA were still too close so his opinion counts for nothing, as CA doesn't want to say anything against Murali for fear of being considered recalcitrant and receiving a slap on the wrist from the ICC.
Talking of the ICC, remember that the ICC changed the rules to accommodate Murali; proof that something was wrong in the first place and my biggest complaint: lowering the standard to the Lowest Common Denominator, something that has diluted the integrity and quality of the game for the future.
So as for Murali; yes it was very "brave" of him to wear a cast for the testing: although completely less relevant given the cameras didn't scrutinise his grip on release- i bowl leggies, but if i bowl offies, i can still make it turn the "other way" by flicking in a carrom ball. So proof that he can still bowl a doosra with the cast is made redundant! More redundant by the fact that even allowing for the effect of the cast weight (the only reason i said he was "brave" -not for trying to prove he was legit!) and the restriction the cast has on his natural run up and early action, it is PLAIN TO SEE that Murali is bowling with a different action... so you only show yourself up to be ignorant if you are unable to see that!
His upper body and following shoulder is so much more side on that he looks like a traditional offie!
The presenter showing that he could not straighten Murali’s arm means nothing too. The world understands and is accepting of his elbow condition/defect; regardless, anyone could replicate that “test”, the strongest man at my gym could not straighten mine in the same way when we “tested” in the same fashion. Also, I asked several people to turn their palm out in the same way that the video had the doctor do for Murali and we could all do it to look the same with little or no shoulder discomfort. So I don’t know what that proved with Murali; It only comes across as another excuse contrived by Murali’s supporters to shut down the ever present doubt and disbelief in his legitimacy- sounds like the fable of the Emperors new clothes!
And now we have to address the inclusion of M.Slater in this debate. Slater has been very active in developing a media career and profile over the last 5 or so years, so the fact he got on board here only shows that he would do and say pretty much anything to increase his exposure. It is also beyond ridicules to say that by having him face up to Murali it is replicating match conditions. That would imply that every time someone faces a ball it is “in match conditions”. Even given that the cast would inhibit Murali’s ability –I accept that it obviously must- Murali looked very non-threatening and Slater who has now been out of international cricket for years looked relaxed facing up; much more than someone in “match conditions!”
In closing, I stand by my statement that MANY people from players and commentators WILL come forward in the years following Murali’s retirement. Players must wait until they have no further connections to their national boards for fear of penalty from the ICC; commentators will be in the same position until they deem themselves untouchable by the ICC or their media owners. It is sad really that they are controlled in such a way that they cannot talk out about the greatest blight on the game since Bodyline. And as you said Seth, anyone that speaks out is labelled a clown; not much of a way to debate and typical of people that have reason to be defensive! The evidence is in comparison- action in test conditions, action in a match. That is definitive!
Stoph verismo
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