Murali's Future In The Hands Of The ICC (08 Jan 1996)

Monday 08, January 1996

Muralitharan`s future in the hands of the ICC

By Sa`adi Thawfeeq

Controversial off-spinner Muthiah Muralitharan`s future in international cricket is in the hands of the International Cricket Council (ICC) after the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka took a decision at a meeting between ExCo members and the selectors on Saturday to request cricket`s world ruling body to finally pass judgement on the bowler.

"We have written to the ICC seeking their views on how best this matter can be resolved,`` said Cricket Board secretary Anura Tennekoon yesterday.

"We have requested the ICC to appoint an independent panel of people and check Muralitharan`s action out,`` said Tennekoon.

"Whether the ICC would agree to such a panel is questionable because they may need the ratification from other member countries before doing so. But we are working towards having Muralitharan cleared before the World Cup,`` he said.

Tennekoon said the ICC had indicated that they would come back to him within a week with regard to the request.

Muralitharan is among 18 players in the Sri Lanka squad named for the Wills World Cup `96 tournament which will be played in Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka from February 14 - March 17.

A member of the national selection committee said that Muralitharan would not be considered for the final World Cup 14 (to be declared shortly before the tournament commences) if he is not cleared by the ICC.

World Cup rules don`t allow a country to request for any additional player outside the 14 during the tournament, unless in exceptional circumstances.

The 23-year-old off-spinner who is Sri Lanka`s leading wickettaker in Test cricket with 81 wickets from 23 Tests has been the centre of controversy in Australia after he was called twice in two different matches for chucking.

Australian Test umpire Darrell Hair no-balled Muralitharan seven times for throwing in Australia`s first innings of the second Test at Melbourne. On Friday, Australian umpire Ross Emerson standing in his first one-day international called him for throwing seven times in three overs in the World Series Cup match against the West Indies at Brisbane.

The ICC had urged Muralitharan to change his suspect bowling action after last month`s Melbourne Test.

Prior to that, the ICC had sent reports to the Sri Lanka Cricket Board as far back as August 1993, expresssing concern over Muralitharan`s bowling action.

In the recently concluded 3-nation Singer Champions trophy tournament in Sharjah which Sri Lanka won, the ICC sent videos on the bowling actions of Muralitharan as well as the other off-break bowler in the side, Kumara Dharmasena to the Cricket Board for reviewing.

It is reliably learnt that only Sri Lanka cricket manager and chairman of selectors Duleep Mendis, coach Dav Whatmore, the ICC`s two independent umpires K.T. Francis and B.C. Cooray among others were shown the video.

The other four members of the selection committee - Roy Dias, Ranjan Madugalle, Sidath Wettimuny and Tikiri Banda Kehelgamuwa had been kept in the dark about the video until recently when they had access to it.

One of the selectors commented that had the video been shown to them before the team was selected for Australia, they would have contemplated before picking Muralitharan for the tour.

With a question mark hanging over Muralitharan`s future, offspinner Ruwan Kalpage has been summoned to Australia to represent Sri Lanka, probably in the remaining World Series Cup matches.

Kalpage, an automatic choice for any one-day team because of his all-round potential was overlooked for Australia. He is expected to leave today, but will miss Sri Lanka`s night game against Australia in Melbourne tomorrow.

Sri Lanka with only one win in four matches are fighting for a place in the finals with West Indies, who have three wins from seven matches. Australia with four wins from five games are already assured of a place in the best of three finals. Each team plays a minimum of eight qualifying matches.

Source :: Lake House/Lanka Internet Services