Murali and Flemming suggest ways of transforming cricket

By Ranjan ANANDAPPA

CRICKET: Champion off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, the highest wicket taker in both versions of the game (Test and ODI) and former New Zealand skipper Stephen Flemming along with Dialog launched yet another first to transform and revolutionize cricket by introducing DialogCricHQ.Com at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, Oak Room .

Muralitharan and his company M Sports with the collaboration of Dialog Axiata launched the concept of CricHQ for the first time in Asia, even ahead of India. It provides information of all players, of all cricket matches, domestic, including schools ,clubs ,statistics ,graphics and many more through an Ipad which will be utilised during all matches. All information will be fed into the outside world and the cricket enthusiats will be able to gather the information by browsing the website.

Ipads were presented to 74 schools and 20 clubs engaged in domestic cricket. The schools from Jaffna too was included to be a part of the modern technology.

Both ‘Murali’ and Flemming believed that modern day cricket and the ever increasing modern technology will go hand -in-hand for the rest of the years and stressed that technology coupled with the shorter versions of the game has made matches more result oriented, than in the past and even seen Test matches not going the full distance of five days.

Four-day Tests in offing

“I don’t mind, Test matches not going the full distance, the reason is people want to see results. Everyone wants to see things done quickly. What’s happening is players are playing at a quicker pace. There won ‘t be an adjustment period for the players to get accustomed to. There are more mistakes being made ,but there are more results in Test cricket. I doubt anyone can argue in some of the Test matches that had been played, even being in the losing side it had been entertaining. So, I don’t mind it and some times we might see four-day Tests.” said the former New Zealand captain Steven Flemming.

He added saying that the shorter version of the games has improved the skills of the players and the people do not want to watch a player batting the whole day for 80 or100 runs in a Test match.

“Now people want to see a good three and a half or four runs for an over, they want to see wickets falling, they want to be entertained. The modern Test player seems to be doing that. Players are playing with lot more courage and playing more entertaining cricket and more things happen in the day,” Flemming said.

Referring to the present Sri Lanka team and the one’s he had played against in the past, Flemming said that “It is not good to lose a great player of all time like Muralitharan. Losing a guy who has gone on like ‘Murali’, you are not going to get the same results. But I think they have done pretty well.

Sangakkara and Jayawardene exceptional players

Sangakkara and Jayawardene are exceptional players, Dilshan is well ahead of the rest when his arm is great. They have some great players, Lasith Malinga is just one out of the box.

So when you keep on harnessing the talent, you are going to be fine. Results in South Africa was encouraging. New Zealand, too, has lost some good players, we suddenly had to call the young players and beat Australia in a Test series in Australia. We have beaten Zimbabwe comprehensively and we look forward for South Africa in a week and a half time.” said Flemming.

Muralitharan said that his one desire was to see Sri Lanka emerging as a strong cricketing outfit like in the past after his retirement.

He went on to say that he liked the product when he saw it and cricketers from the grass roots level will be benefited very much through this new concept.

It is good to know about statistics of all the cricketers. “ I went to New Zealand and saw the product and I thought that it will be good to introduce it our country to improve our coaching system and it is fun for the players too, who will come to know their statistics.

Test matches bringing results good - Murali

He too was in the opinion that it was good to see Test matches ending with results very often. “ It is good as it is very competitive, because one side has won.

A match ending in a draw at times is boring. So I feel winning and losing is always interesting. All forms of cricket is important and cricket will survive, because it is a game and fun. It is good for the game and the spectators.

With introduction of this modern technology, the benefits are a lot, because when people are busy they could watch the match live, was Murali’s firm belief.

CricHQ.COM of New Zealand, a leading company in cricket technology, will take root in Sri Lanka, courtesy a strong relationship between two top contemporary cricketers Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan and New Zealand’s Steven Flemming who was instrumental in introducing the novel technology which will immensely help, not only the reputed cricketer but also the ordinary one to keep himself updated with his performance.

This modern technology will enable a player or a person to track every ball virtually in every cricket match played in Sri Lanka irrespective the grade or the standard of cricket that one plays, may be even in one’s backyard with your family members one could keep the scores. This application will transform the way we have been approaching cricket. It will help coaches to identify the players’ flaws.