Ross Emerson turns away from cricket

Ross Emerson, whose no-balling of Muttiah Muralitharan at Adelaide in 1999 caused a near melt-down, has turned his back on cricket, blaming the lack of support from the game as the reason for his disenchantment.

"Cricket gave me the arse, didn't they? I didn't have a future in cricket, so I retired a year after Adelaide," Emerson said to The Sunday Telegraph. "They sacked me from the next two games and then just didn't reappoint me." It wasn't the first time Emerson had called Muralitharan. It had happened earlier, during the infamous tour in 1995-96, when Darrell Hair no-balled him seven times. Ten days after the incident, Emerson called him in a one-dayer. The tour initiated an acrimonious relationship between Muralitharan and Australian crowds, and matters came to a head when Muralitharan reacted to comments ascribed to the Australian Prime Minister.

Emerson refused to comment on the new bowling recommendation, and said he enjoyed his new role as the president of Swimming Western Australia. "Swimming has helped fill the void cricket left," said Emerson. "I love the swimming job and it means I'm present when my daughters are swimming. I'm actually able to be a father again, rather than travelling around."