Muttiah Muralitharan won't come to Australia

[Iafeta]

I can't believe people are actually sticking up for Murali, I mean imagine Andrew Johns refused to ever play in QLD in origin games, what would the reaction be?
Many a sportsman has put up with alot more than Murali, take Luis Figo for example, when playing in the Nou Camp and in barcelona he needs a police escort, there are actually protests and real madrid actually try to play him through the middle abit more to avoid being hit by missiles, I rember the 1st time he returned there when he went over to take a corner it literally rained missiles, I mean compare that to abit of crowd antics. I mean Figo actually risks his life in Barcelona.

Bad example. Figo earns how many $$$ per week? Figo also brought it on himself to a certain extent knowing the rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona, signing to the other hated club, there's always going to be heat.

Nowhere however should any sports person condone being hit with missiles. Thats disgusting. What next? We've already had missiles, stabbings, whats the next step and who will take it?

Murali may be thought of as a sook, but I think its a cheap way out not to look at the crowds and say you're a pack of w*nkers who need to pick your attitudes up. That cannot be condoned whatsoever.

 

[Macca]

His arm straightens. The ICC have turned a blind eye, simple as that. Independant my ass. Go look at it yourself FFS.

 

[Craig]

Got proof to back your comments up?

What makes you more qualifyed then the UWA and Dr Frank Pyke and co?

 

[Macca]

No proof other than what my naked eyes tell me. It's so blatant, I can't believe I am still on this topic.

 

[Matt23]

...and the thing it's getting even more blatant. :roll: If he wasn't a chucker before, he sure as hell is now.

 

[Azkatro]

Sometimes it's hard to know all the facts. Muralitharan may have other reasons that he isn't disclosing - he may have been ill-informed about places like Darwin and Cairns (chuckle) or he might have even received threats. That's not impossible, because I'm sure we all know that there are some pretty stupid idiots out there when it comes to sport. A few Aussies have been known to provide the odd death threat in the past, and Muralitharan certainly seems like a potential target for such a threat.

Of course this is all hearsay. But may I remind everybody about the 1995 World Cup, and the entire Australian side neglecting to go to Sri Lanka for the first match. Very different circumstances I agree, but there are some parallels here, aside from the two countries involved. At the time we may have been ill-informed or unsure of our safety and hence decided not to take the chance. Muralitharan may be in a similiar position.

 

[Doctor]

So they won't be playing at the SCG? or the MCG? the WACA? how about the Gabba? they are ONLY gonna play in Cairns and Darwin?

Schedule

Jun 2004

Thu 24 - Sun 27 Northern Territory Chief Minister's XI v Sri Lanka Darwin Tour match

Jul 2004

Thu 1 - Mon 5 Australia v Sri Lanka Darwin 1st Test
Fri 9 - Tue 13 Australia v Sri Lanka Cairns 2nd Test

Thanks El Duque and Twizzle for your explanations in my absence. I think it is fairly clear that the crowds can and will not be huge in Darwin and Cairns.
The last Winter Test in Darwin attracted about 10,000 people over the first three days (the match ended at about 12:30pm on the third day), with 4,000 on the first day and 6,000 the second day.

Similiar figures in Cairns for the 2nd Test.

So only 10,000 people will turn up to the tests and ODI's in a day will they?

They won't be playing ODIs against Sri Lanka this tour.

So it must be my imagination that i've seen him tour before?

He has toured with Sri Lanka in all other countries I believe. But this is the second time he has refrained from touring Australia - although I must admit I don't know when it was that he didn't tour. The last time Sri Lanka toured for Test matches was 1996.

I don't know of any other cricketer who refuses to tour a country based on personal motives - all other cases that I know of are related to player-safety and serious political situations in touring countries.

 

[Anonymous]

So they won't be playing at the SCG? or the MCG? the WACA? how about the Gabba? they are ONLY gonna play in Cairns and Darwin?

Schedule

Jun 2004

Thu 24 - Sun 27 Northern Territory Chief Minister's XI v Sri Lanka Darwin Tour match

Jul 2004

Thu 1 - Mon 5 Australia v Sri Lanka Darwin 1st Test
Fri 9 - Tue 13 Australia v Sri Lanka Cairns 2nd Test

Thanks El Duque and Twizzle for your explanations in my absence. I think it is fairly clear that the crowds can and will not be huge in Darwin and Cairns.
The last Winter Test in Darwin attracted about 10,000 people over the first three days (the match ended at about 12:30pm on the third day), with 4,000 on the first day and 6,000 the second day.

Similiar figures in Cairns for the 2nd Test.

So only 10,000 people will turn up to the tests and ODI's in a day will they?

They won't be playing ODIs against Sri Lanka this tour.

So it must be my imagination that i've seen him tour before?

He has toured with Sri Lanka in all other countries I believe. But this is the second time he has refrained from touring Australia - although I must admit I don't know when it was that he didn't tour. The last time Sri Lanka toured for Test matches was 1996.

I don't know of any other cricketer who refuses to tour a country based on personal motives - all other cases that I know of are related to player-safety and serious political situations in touring countries.

2nd time? News to me. I still think it's his decision, for people who've never been in the same situation you have a lot of opinions. He's doing what's right for him, and I applaud him for that.

 

[salivor]

He has toured with Sri Lanka in all other countries I believe. But this is the second time he has refrained from touring Australia - although I must admit I don't know when it was that he didn't tour. The last time Sri Lanka toured for Test matches was 1996.

I don't know where the hell you got that from. Sri Lanka last toured Australia in 1995/96 and Murili played the first two tests of the three test series. Sri Lanka toured in 1989/90 before that but Murili didn't make his test debut until 1992.

 

[Iafeta]

His arm straightens. The ICC have turned a blind eye, simple as that. Independant my ass. Go look at it yourself FFS.

You're absolutely 100% wrong. Australian Universities have directed complete investigations on their own time on it. NOT the ICC. Yes, the ICC have conducted reports, but so have non ICC panels. Each of them has cleared him for play.

Thats your opinion - you can have your opinion, but qualify your statement with exactly that, its your opinion and not a proven fact. All we ask from your many posts, is one, just one, just a single shred of evidence aside from what you think to support your theory. Can you do that?

On the last point, I have looked at it and I think his arm stays bent throughout. The twist of the wrist is the differentiating point to most.

 

[Iafeta]

Of course this is all hearsay. But may I remind everybody about the 1995 World Cup, and the entire Australian side neglecting to go to Sri Lanka for the first match. Very different circumstances I agree, but there are some parallels here, aside from the two countries involved. At the time we may have been ill-informed or unsure of our safety and hence decided not to take the chance. Muralitharan may be in a similiar position.

Good point. Who knows the full story behind his wish to not tour? We're casting aspertions on him but probably truthfully don't know the full extent of it. He's not the first sportsmen not to tour, the New Zealanders have done it, the Australians, I believe the Windies as well. Dennis Bergkamp won't even go overseas, but he's still regarded as a professional soccer player.

 

[aqua_duck]

Your example aren't really relevent, NZ withdrew from Pakistan because a bomb went off across the road from their hotel and Denis Bergkamp does go overseas, he just doesn't fly, and I mean that is a common phobia and only really affects him in the UEFA champions league, Murali's thing seems entirely different, no one is threatening to kill him(not that we know of), and the only reason being stated is because of rough treatment from fans, as for Figo, sure he gets paid pretty well but are you saying Murali doesn't?
Fact is Figo is literally risking his life, Murali isn't.

 

[Iafeta]

Not quite correct Aqua Duck. New Zealand also withdrew from Kenya, sure for safety, but only a tip off. Nothing went off during their absence. England didn't go to Zimbabwe because of political reasons. They're threatening to do the same now. Where's the consistency there? We can let that one go through to the keeper, but because Murali gets taunted by drunks in the crowd and occasionally has things thrown at him in Australia he shouldn't be given the same right not to come down under?

I also don't think Murali would be anywhere NEAR the amount of money Luis Figo earns. Figo probably earns more in a week than Murali does in a year.

 

[THE KEGG]

Iafeta, since you have all the answers.......... :roll:

1. How many sportsman (at the top end of their game), have declined to go to a country based on no other reason than "verbal" abuse from the stadium.

2a. As my previous post, should Murali forfeit going to England as he was chanted being a chucker by the barmy army in the recent test series in Sri Lanka ?

2b. Why didnt Murali forfeit the 2nd and 3rd tests against the poms if he was being ridiculed "Throw throw throw the ball gently down the seam, Murali Murali Murali chucks it like a dream......." so it goes.
Maybe he just couldnt hear them :lol: or maybe he could take heaps of wickets and ignore it ;-)

 

[CyberKev]

As for the rest... You're wrong on the first count and right on the second, so I guess a 50% strike rate is better than a total washout.

In your opinion I am wrong. You forgot that you are not the authority on all things cricket there pal.

Oops, my bad...

I should have said that according to the majority of cricket fans and authorities across the world and established human movement experts you were wrong on the first count...

Feel free to rant on, however, if you want to keep embarrassing yourself I won't stop you.

CyberKev

 

[CyberKev]

Got proof to back your comments up?

What makes you more qualifyed then the UWA and Dr Frank Pyke and co?

He has his own eyes, apparently...

How can that not be enough for you? :roll:

CyberKev

 

[Doctor]

He has toured with Sri Lanka in all other countries I believe. But this is the second time he has refrained from touring Australia - although I must admit I don't know when it was that he didn't tour. The last time Sri Lanka toured for Test matches was 1996.

I don't know where the hell you got that from. Sri Lanka last toured Australia in 1995/96 and Murili played the first two tests of the three test series. Sri Lanka toured in 1989/90 before that but Murili didn't make his test debut until 1992.

I don't know where the hell I got it from either. They have had two ODI tours since the 1995/6 Test & ODI tour.
One was last year with England, and the one before that was in the 1998/99 season, once again with England as the Test touring team for the summer.

Now, whether Murali refrained from coming in one of those tours, I don't know. I'm just mentioning it from the top of my head - I seem to recall this isn't the first time a player has decided to stay home - it may well be it is a player from another team..... :?:

 

[CyberKev]

I don't know where the hell you got that from. Sri Lanka last toured Australia in 1995/96 and Murili played the first two tests of the three test series. Sri Lanka toured in 1989/90 before that but Murili didn't make his test debut until 1992.

I don't know where the hell I got it from either. They have had two ODI tours since the 1995/6 Test & ODI tour.
One was last year with England, and the one before that was in the 1998/99 season, once again with England as the Test touring team for the summer.

Now, whether Murali refrained from coming in one of those tours, I don't know. I'm just mentioning it from the top of my head - I seem to recall this isn't the first time a player has decided to stay home - it may well be it is a player from another team..... :?:

Murali certainly toured in 1998/99.

I'm not sure about last season, although I think he came but didn't play much cricket due to injury.

I'm not sure about the stay at home player, but I seem to recall Brian Lara refusing to tour once, although I wouldn't quote myself on that.

CyberKev

 

[CyberKev]

Murali certainly toured in 1998/99.

I'm not sure about last season, although I think he came but didn't play much cricket due to injury.

Can confirm now that Murali toured in 2002/03, but was hampered by a hernia problem before playing some of the later games.

CyberKev

 

[salivor]

Murili has definetly toured in 1995/96, 1998/99 and 2002/03, the only 3 tours of Australia by Sri Lanka since Murili debuted. So basically Murili has not refrained from touring Australia previously.

I think this current threat not to tour steams from the recent series against England. He reacted poorly to a sledge about chucking from Nassar Hussien and was also taunted by the Barmy Army. He just appears to be at the end of his teather with this issue, he's been through all this so many times and been cleared but still he has his action and his records questioned. I think if anybody here was put in his shoes they'd start to get a little hot under the collar as well.