Murali - superb career performances

By A.C. De Silva

Born on April 17th 1972, Muttiah Muralitharan made his Test debut for Sri Lanka at the age of 20 and ever since, he has blossomed to become the greatest bowler in international cricket. He retired from international cricket at the conclusion of the 2011 ICC World Cup tournament in Mumbai.

Test debut 1992

Muralitharan made his Test debut on August 28 in 1992 against Australia at the Premadasa Stadium, capturing 1 for 38. His only wicket and the first of his long list of 800 scalps was Craig McDermott who was trapped leg before wicket for nine runs.

When Muralitharan decided to 'call it a day' from Test Cricket in the first Test against India in Galle in July 2010, many thought he should have played in the entire Three-Test series as he was eight wickets short of the magical 800 mark. But Murali strongly believed in himself and thought one game was enough for him to capture eight wickets.

He did exactly that when he had bigures of 5 for 63 and 3 for 128 to become the first man to figure 800 wiickets.

In a bowling stint spread over around two decades, Muralitharan became the most successful bowler ever in world cricket with over 1,800 wickets in Tests and another 500 plus haul in one-day International (ODI).

He retired from International Cricket with the conclusion of 2011 ICC World Cup tournament in Mumbai.

Murali's greatest attribute is his great belief in his ability and the hard work he puts in to perfect it. Because of this, he posesses no fears and is ever ready to pass down advice to anyone and does not hold any thing back even when it comes to secrets of his trade.

Murali - a brilliant servant of game

Murali has been a brilliant servant of the game and has brought pride and prestige to the nation and Sri Lanka cricket.

The hatred one had towards Murali when considered in the light of an opponent was first lasted by his contemporaries at schoolboy level - a dark wily figure destroying many a renowned batting line up with ease. Trinity, being the traditional rival suffered the most, when consider in this back drop it was no wonder that when Murali stepped into the big league, the matter became an issue internationally. A genius emerging from the subcontinent could have been a bit too hard to stomach for the establishment. There is no choice but to face reality.

Murali is one of the all time greats of cricket to have been produced by St. Anthony's College Kandy, the great school by the river. Undoubtedly Sri Lanka cricket expects similar cricket players to come from the outstations. Cricketing greats like Muttiah Muralitharan will inspire many schools out of Colombo to take more interest in their young players by nurturing them to give their best in the future to our motherland.

A great 'take'

Murali retired from International Test Cricket by taking a great 'take' his 800th wicket against India in the recently concluded series thus creating a world record in bowling.

*Murali made his international debut at the age of 20 against Australia at a Test match at Premadasa Stadium on August 28, 1993 and captured 3 for 141 with Craig McDermott as his first wicket.

*Recorded his first five-wicket haul - 5 for 104 in South Africa's first innings in Moratuwa. It included wickets of Kepler Wessels, Hansie Cronje and Jonty Rhodes in 1995.

*Captured 5 for 64 in the second innings against New Zealand in the 1995 Napier Test, and spins Sri Lanka to a 241-run win.

*It is their first overseas victory, and they eventually won the two-Test series 1-0.

*Playing in his 22nd Test, Muralitharan is no-balled by Darrell Hair seven times for a suspect action on the second day of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG on December 27, 1995.

*On January 5, 1996, Ross Emerson, umpiring his first match, no -balls him for a suspect action in an ODI against West Indies at Brisbane. Resorts to leg spin which is also no-balled. The ICC investigates his action and clears him.

*Becomes the first Sri Lankan to reach 100 Test wickets on March 16, 1997, when he dismissed Stephen Fleming in the second innings of the Hamilton Test.

*Records his first match bag of ten wickets during January 7-11, 1998, against Zimbabwe in the Kandy Test. Sri Lanka won by eight wickets, and his match figures of 12 for 117 are the then best by any Sri Lankan bowler in Test history. In March, 1998, he had a lone effort by capturing 16 wickets in two Tests in South Africa, though Sri Lanka lost the series 0-2.

*On April 15, 1998, Muralitharan captured his maiden five-wicket haul in ODIs - 5 for 23 as Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 115 runs in Benoni.

*During Sri Lanka's one off Test against England at the Oval from August 7-11, 1998 he had a dream match bag of 16 for 220, his career-best figures. Ben Hollioake becomes his 200th Test wicket as Sri Lanka won by 10 wickets, their first Test victory in England.

*The third 'no balling' episode took place on January 23, 1999 when Muralitharan was called again by Emerson in an ODI against England in Adelaide.

*On October 27, 2000 he captured 7 for 30 - then the best ODI figures - against India at Shahjah.

*Accounted for his 300th Test wicket on December 30, 2000 in his 58th Test when he dismissed Shaun Pollock in the first Test at Kingsmead. Only Dennis Lillee, 55 Tests, has reached the milestone faster.

*On January 4, 2002 he took nine Zimbabwe first innings wickets in Kandy Test, but misses out on the 10th when Chaminda Vaas dismisses Henry Olonga. Followed up his 9 for 51 in the first innings with 4 for 64 in the second to equal Richard Hadlee's record of most 10 ten-wicket hauls in 15 fewer matches.

*In his 72nd Test in January 2002, he became the fastest to reach the 400-wicket landmark when he bowls Henry Olonga in the third Test at Galle.

*On March 28, 2004 Muralitharan was once again reported for a suspect action by match-referee Chris Broad who had felt that the action with which Murali delivers the doosra during the Test series against Australia is not legitimate.

*On the following month of the same year, he underwent tests on his action at the University of Western Australia in Perth. The ICC effectively outlawed his doosra, confirming that they are not about to increase the permitted five-degree tolerance level for spin bowlers to accommodate him. Sri Lanka Cricket instructs Muralitharan to stop bowling the doosra in international cricket.

*He first became the highest Test wicket-taker, going pass West Indian courtney Walsh when he claimed Mluleki Nkala as his 520th wicket in the Harare Test.

*On February 4, 2006, Muralitharan once again underwent tests at the University of Western Australia in Perth to prove to the Australian crowds that his action is legitimate.

*Reached the 700-wicket milestone on July 14, 2007 as he took the last wicket of the third Test against Bangladesh in his 113th Test. The last 100 wickets have come in 12 Tests.

*Recaptured the World record for most Test wickets on December 3, 2007 overtaking Shane Warne's record of 708 wickets.

*Muralitharan captured his 709th, that of Paul Collingwood in the first innings, in which he took six. He finished with nine in the Test.

*On January 24, 2009 Muralitharan recorded his 500 scalp in ODIs, a feat which had been achieved only by Pakistani Wasim Akram before.

*Shortly afterwards in the following month, he became the highest wicket-taker in ODIs by dismissing Gautam Gambhir for 150 in Colombo.

*Retired from Test cricket on July 6, 2010 after being in the business for 18 long years. Announced his retirement during the Galle Test against India. He needed eight wickets in his farewell Test to reach 800 Test wickets and he captured exactly eight to end his career as the only man to capture 800 Test wickets.

*On March 29, played hi his last ODI on home soil - Sri Lanka's World Cup semi final against New Zealand and captured a wicket off the last ODI delivery he balled on home soil.