Sport Today

  BENT ARM DOESN'T LEND RULE - SAYS FORMER AUSSIE OFF-SPINNER YARDLEY

   BY KIM HAGDORN

   FORMER Test bowler Bruce Yardley has scoffed at allegations that Sri
   Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralidharan is a chucker.

   Muralidharan's right arm does not straighten in delivery and does not
   contravene rules of cricket, according to Yardley.

   Instead, Yardley, who coached the exciting young spinner four years
   ago, called on international authorities and umpires to examine
   actions of some of the game's leading fast bowlers.

   He said pace bowlers were more likely to throw bouncers than
   Muralidharan would throw off-spinners.

   The Sri Lankan has already snared 78 Test scalps in just 21 matches
   (before the Perth Test) since making his debut against the Australians
   in Colombo in August 1992.

   "If the powers want to start looking at actions, they should take a
   closer look at the quicks,'' Yardley barked in defence of his former
   pupil.

   "If you look at any slow-motion analysis of most fast bowlers, that's
   when you'll see bowlers throwing.''

   Yardley said that when he first worked with Muralidharan, the then
   college student did throw his off-spinners.

   But he now labels the slightly built 23-year-old as the best
   off-spinner in the world.

   "He definitely chucked when I saw him in Sri Lanka in 1991,'' Yardley
   recalled.

   "He was wide on the bowling crease, chest-on and he was straightening
   his bowling arm just at the point of delivery.

   "It took just a few adjustments, with an action closer to the stumps
   and more side-on, and he was bowling fine.''

   Yardley, the 1981-82 International Cricketer of the Year and veteran
   of 33 Tests and 126 Test wickets, said he was not suprised at close
   international scrutiny of Muralidharan's unusual action.

   "He's got a different action and he's a big wicket-taker. There aren't
   too many off-spinners in world cricket that take big bags of wickets
   like he does,'' he said.

   "Obviously people are going to ask questions.

   "He's the best off-spinner I've ever seen.

   "If any umpire can pick up, without the aid of some very elaborate and
   state-of-the-art, slow-motion video equipment whether a spinner's arm
   straightens, I'll go walk.''

   Muralidharan's suspect action has remained a contentious issue since
   his initiation into Test ranks, when he bowled current Test star Mark
   Waugh and former international batsman Tom Moody with giant-spinning
   deliveries in 1992.

   Sri Lanka authorities are believed to have been "warned'' by England
   officials in 1991 not to play the young spinner in any further matches
   after just one county appearance because of fears of a major
   international "throwing'' controversy.

=====

  ALLAN BORDER THINKS IT WAS A BIT OF A `SET UP'

   Bernie Wijesekera reporting from Australia

   The Mutthiah Muralideran, controversy took a new turn on Wednesday
   when Aussie umpire Hair threatened to call him even from the
   square-leg position if he continued to bowl after tea (Dec. 27).

   The tour management headed by Duleep Mendis, behind locked doors
   deliberated the latest development, but failed to come to a decision.

   Mendis told the Daily News (today) it has become an issue, whether we
   are going to persist with `Murali' in the next few games _ the
   one-dayers umpired by Australian umpires.

   The tour management will decide on this issue after getting a
   confirmation from Colombo headquarters Mendis added.

   Q: Are you going to send him home? That's not on the cards at this
   juncture. He will not bowl at the MCG, he said.

   Allan Border, who has played more tests than anyone, had this to say
   in the Herald Sun today (Dec. 28). `He pitied the bowler. `I think
   it's a bit of a set up, `Border said on radio 2 UE. I am not convinced
   that he straightens his elbow all the time. `I think occasionally he
   might _ which constitutes a throw _ but if I was an umpire I wouldn't
   be prepared to call him. `I just feel sorry for this young bloke!'
   (And) I feel sorry for the umpire because obviously he's been, you
   know, would to do it, `Border adds.

   Besides Border, former Australian players were more sympethic towards
   Sri Lanka and defended the Sri Lankan spinner.

Thanks ::  The Daily News (Sri Lanka) and
           Lanka Internet Services      

=   BENT ARM DOESN'T LEND RULE - SAYS FORMER AUSSIE OFF-SPINNER YARDLEY
=  
=    BY KIM HAGDORN
=    
....
....
=    Yardley said that when he first worked with Muralidharan, the then
=    college student did throw his off-spinners.
=    
=    But he now labels the slightly built 23-year-old as the best
=    off-spinner in the world.
=    
=    "He definitely chucked when I saw him in Sri Lanka in 1991,'' Yardley
=    recalled.
=    
=    "He was wide on the bowling crease, chest-on and he was straightening
=    his bowling arm just at the point of delivery.

  This  is  contradictory  to  many  other  comments I have seen and heard.
  Doesn't Murali have a physical deformity (from birth) that does not allow
  him  to  straighten  his  arm...How is that then Yardley says that MM was
  throwing in 1991 ?! I am confused...

  In  any  case, I would not attach much importance or impartiality to what
  Yardley and Whatmore say...they are after all are (or have been) employed
  by  SL  cricket  to  help SL cricket...But I would consider comments from
  Border, Benaud and others to be more impartial...

  I  wonder  why  most of the SLan spinners have a weird action (I am *NOT*
  saying  that  they  all throw - infact I did not see much of a difference
  from  the  action  of  MM when he was called for throwing and when he was
  not).  They  have  that  excessive  action  with  that  wrist  -  Silva,
  Dharmasena, Murali and I hear Warnaweera has had similar action.

  Ciao,

- gautham -

           Regards,

                David.

--

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| WWW: http://www.physics.adelaide.edu.au/~dlow                       ) /  |
|   "I'd rather be lost in the Darkness than blinded by the Light"   (_/   |

The fact is that his action is considered suspect all over the world.
Even his supporters, like Yardley and Mendis, have unintentionally
condemned him by their statements.