da poker： Muttiah Muralitharan, Sri Lanka’s spin magician and the world’s greatestbowler according to Wisden, is on the verge of afull recovery from a hernia operation and is expected re-enter theinternational fray on January 9 when Sri Lanka take on
Charlie Austin04-Jan-2003Muttiah Muralitharan, Sri Lanka’s spin magician and the world’s greatestbowler according to Wisden, is on the verge of afull recovery from a hernia operation and is expected re-enter theinternational fray on January 9 when Sri Lanka take on Australia at the SCG.He carries with him hopes of a Sri Lankan revival.Predictably, Murali has been sorely missed. Since flying to Australia forpre-emptive surgery Sanath Jayasuriya’s team have won a solitary ODI ineight attempts. Their wayward bowlers have been flogged mercilessly and youwould be being generous if you called the fielding butter-fingered. Thebatting, with the exception of Russel Arnold, has been woeful.© CricInfoConfidence has not leaked away, it has flooded from the players, leavingcoach Dav Whatmore tearing out his hair in frustration, no doubt ponderingwhere it all started to go awry. Just nine months ago the side was ridingthe crest of a wave after notching up ten consecutive Test victories but nowthey are being openly mocked.Of course, the reasons are complex. Some cast their mind back to a teamrevolt against the selectors last January. Others point firmly at the darkhand of political interference in the cricket board, which intensifiedduring the year. A growing band blames the captain and the coach.There is no doubt that some off-field matters have adversely affectedperformance, especially a selection process that has tottered on theshambolic during the past year, but the single most important reason for SriLanka’s dip is the absence of Murali.Sri Lanka are not an exceptional side. Jayasuriya has at his disposal alimited pool of talent. There are no baby-faced Aravinda de Silva’s waitingin the wings. Fast bowlers of international pedigree remain scarce. However,there is a hardcore of quality and when that core is fully fit and playingtheir full potential Sri Lanka will be competitive against all sides. Butwhen form and confidence slides, or injuries intervene, there are problems.The absence of Murali has a particularly disastrous effect. The off-spinner’s importance to the side cannot easily be overstated. Despite claimsthat Sri Lanka are not overly reliant on him, the fact is that his uniquebrand of bowling has played a major hand in the vast majority of Sri Lanka’striumphs. Sri Lanka have won only a solitary Test without him since hisdebut 1992 and that was against lowly Bangladesh. His contribution in theone-day game is no less significant. During Jayasuriya’s reign in charge SriLanka have won 65% of the ODIs they have played with him in the side.Without him Jayasuriya’s win ratio slips to a lowly 22%.A groin injury knocked the side off course in South Africa two years ago.The same injury allowed England to win a controversial home series in 2001.A dislocated shoulder paved the way for Pakistan’s victory in last year’sSharjah final and let England off the hook at Lord’s shortly afterwards.Without Murali, Sri Lanka are average.© ReutersHis value to the side is not measured in wickets alone. His persona provides inspiration. Whether gesticulating wildly in the covers,screaming encouragement from the boundary or tossing the ball between hisfingers as he prances in to bowl, he injects the side with positive energyand confidence.Thus, the news that his recover is on course should already be lifting theflagging spirits of his team-mates. He will sit out the Australia A match atAdelaide but, despite bowling only three gentle overs in a fundraising gameso far on the tour, will most probably play in Sri Lanka’s crucial game at theSCG on January 9. He may be rusty but it is a gamble worth taking.It will not be easy though. Once again, his resilience will be tested to thefull by Australian scrutiny of his bowling action. Indeed, the legality ofMurali’s action, an unusual mix of wrist rotation and locked elbow, hasconsumed the minds of Australian fans, umpires and journalists on both hisprevious tours down under in 1995-96 and 1998-99 when he was no-balledby local umpires. Although cleared to the satisfaction of the InternationalCricket Council (ICC) after high-tech scientific analysis, Sri Lankans fearfurther chucking controversies.Already the tabloids have seized upon comments made by former umpire RossEmerson, who called Murali in 1998-99, to re-ignite the debate. With DarrylHair, who called him in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG in 1995, due toofficiate in Sri Lanka’s second game at the SCG on January 13 there isclearly potential for trouble. But Murali claims to be unconcerned, lookingforward to the challenge of playing in Australia: “They can’t question meanymore, in my mind, because it’s gone. It’s all past. I never thought aboutnot coming to Australia. I always wanted to play here.”Sri Lanka’s New Year has already started well with a victory against astrong Australia A side at the MCG. The fielding has improved and theconfidence of the fast bowlers is growing steadily. With Murali returningSri Lankans can now look forward with real hope for the second part of theVB Series.