Sport Today

``It was their prime minister who created the whole problem here, and the
Australian public should tackle him in the next elections,''

You ***y bet they will. Howard is a lying arsehole. He will definitely get
the boot.

Laz
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Muralitharan says Australian boycott only temporary
Associated Press, Fri June 18, 2004 02:51 EDT . KRISHAN FRANCIS - Associated
Press Writer - COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP) Sri Lanka - 's star offspinner
Muttiah Muralitharan said Friday he had nothing against Australians and
would tour that country in the future, but maintained that he will not be
part of the Sri Lankan cricket team in the upcoming two-test series. The
United Nations World Food Program called him a ``cricket legend'' in his new
role fighting hunger. Muralitharan will join thousands to raise funds on
Sunday, the same day his Sri Lanka - teammates leave for Australia.
Muralitharan said his decision not to join the Australian tour was final.

Muralitharan, the current record holder for the highest number of test
wickets with 527 dismissals has cited ``personal reasons'' for not touring
Australia.

But it is widely believed he made his decision after Australian Prime
Minster John Howard reportedly criticized him saying he has an illegal
bowling action.

Muralitharan has twice been called by umpires for ``chucking'', or throwing,
during two previous tours to Australia in 1995 and 1999. The International
Cricket Council later cleared his action after it found that a birth defect
in Muralitharan's arm gave the appearance of an illegal delivery.

The latest controversy over his bowling arose in march when ICC match
referee Chris Broad reported the bowler's new ``doosra'' delivery at the
conclusion of a three-match home test series against Australia.

The ICC later banned the doosra, a ball that spins away from a right-handed
batsmen, saying Muralitharan has illegally bent his arm while bowling.

But Muralitharan has defended his ``unorthodox'' bowling action insisting
that he operates within the laws of the sport.

Sri Lanka - 's World Cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga has meanwhile
accused Howard of forcing Muralitharan to opt out of the Australian series.

``It was their prime minister who created the whole problem here, and the
Australian public should tackle him in the next elections,'' Ranatunga said
in an interview published in local Daily Mirror newspaper Friday.

``I am sure Murali has taken the right decision by opting out of the tour
because he is not welcome in Australia, not to play cricket but for mental
torture,'' Ranatunga said.

I would welcome Murali's acknowledgment that Howard is responsible but
Ranatunga's comments are more likely to polarise views towards Howard.
Australians will not be told how to vote by someone like Ranatunga. Mind
you, it seems that we are quite prepared to be told how to vote by Dubya,
Colon and that other Washington arse-clown.

pharro

On Sat, 19 Jun 2004 13:34:11 +1000, "Larry de Silva"

with this:

That he may be but he was not lying when he was asked the question
about Murali he was spot on.

Colin Kynoch

I hope he gets the boot for supporting the US in its illegal invasion of
Iraq. However what he said about Murali was a fact.

Oh yeah thats right, Howard told Hair to no-ball Murali back in 95.