Took 6-24 yesterday against the Bungles , taking his test tally to 694 wickets, just a mere 14 behind retired record holder, Shane Warne..

Where does everyone stand with the Sri Lankan master? Does he bowl correctly or does he chuck, is his Doosra legal or is it a kick in the authority's googlies?

I like him. He pisses off the Australians and anyone who does that is alright in my book of people who piss Australians off..

Muttiah is OK - if you want a chucker look no further than Malinga, Malinga, Show us yer Woggle. No way does he rotate his shoulder in his delivery, it's nobbut a sidearm sling, his action.

Talking of chuckers, have you seen Brett Lee's action as he releases the ball? The England fans were shouting 'No ball' every time he bowled in the recent series, down under. I hadn't noticed before but he does indeed throw it, the cheating git..

Muttiah has passed all the tests, and there have been a fair few. He deserves the credit

Muralitharan = Greatest Cricket ever.

I hope he breaks the record when Sri Lanka tour here later in the year, the irony would be delicious!

I've always thought that, Malingas action's more like a baseball pitcher

I fail to see how anybody could get excited about a bowler with such a dodgy action and a constant cloud of suspicion hanging overhead.

James, he's had this all his life and he's willingly had the tests and passed them.

He's taken 10 wickets or more 19 times in his career and no one does that without talent..

But they've changed the interpretation of the Rules on throwing to make his action fall within what is legal.

That can't be right, can it? <--- My friend agrees with me.

I'm with Jim on this one, the authorities changed to rule to make Muris action legal. No doubting his figures, but have they been achieved by proper means? a fair question methinks.
Malinga the Slinger is another one I would not allow to play again, no way is his action acceptable to the noble game.

I have no great love for any Aussie sportsman, sorry Ray, but at least Fat Boy Warney got his wickets with a skill that will not be seen for many a good year again.

Martin Crowe has toured the world doing after dinner speaking and his main topic of chat is "Throwers" and how they should be 'chucked' out of the sport, I am in full agreement with him.

This from cricinfo.com:

"His career has been beset with controversy from the start. Suspicions about his action were whispered soon after his debut against the Australians in 1993 and then aired freely after he was called for throwing while touring Australia in 1995-96, first in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne by Darrel Hair and later in the one-day series that followed. He was cleared by the ICC after biomechanical analysis at the University of Western Australia and at the University of Hong Kong in 1996. They concluded that his action created the 'optical illusion of throwing'.

But the controversy did not die away. He was called again on the 1998-99 tour to Australia, this time by Ross Emerson. Muralitharan was sent for further tests in Perth and England and was cleared again. However, the perfection of his doosra prompted further suspicion and at the end of a prolific three-match home series against Australia in March 2004 he was reported by ICC match referee Chris Broad. More high-tech tests followed, and ultimately forced the ICC to seriously look into the entire issue of throwing in international cricket, which revealed that many bowlers bend their arms during delivery, and that Murali might have been made an unfair victim. On the field, Murali continued to pile on the wickets, overtaking Courtney Walsh's 519-wicket world record to become the highest wicket-taker in Test history in May 2004.

It is unlikely that Muralitharan's career will ever be controversy-free, a fact that he now accepts. But the rapid progress of technology and sports science in the past decade has undoubtedly salvaged his reputation. He continues to pick up wickets by the bucket load, although many large hauls have come against the two weakest nations - Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. However, he saves his most stunning efforts for the big boys, such as his duel with the Australians in 2004 and his eight-wicket haul at Trent Bridge in 2006 which produced a famous series-levelling win against England".

Scapegoat? Probably. Regardless of how he bowls it still doesn't take away the fact that he's got 700 wickets against the best batsmen in the world.

To me it's a similar situation to drugs in athletics.

If you win a gold medal in the 100m because of drugs you've taken, it seems to me a hollow sort of 'victory'.

Much the same as taking hundreds of wickets in Tests by use of an action that most cricket watchers believe to be suspect!

Praise his 'achievement' as much as you like, Panjapatsy, just don't expect me to join in!

Grumpy git..

At your service!

He says he wants to play until the next World cup in four year's time. At 8 tests a year and six wickets a match that equates to about another two hundred wickets. He could finish with close to 1,000 scalps at career's end..

Can't see that ever being close to being broken.

We're in the presense of greatness, James..

Yeh, he's great at throwing down those wickets!

Shane Warne is a convicted drug cheat.

All his wickets come with a big * beside them too.

he should have the record in front of his home town by about Sunday or Monday then?

Murali

when Murali bowled Collingwood to break the world record his arm was as bent as an Arab's dagger- that's the way I shall remember him. Why is there one law for this odious cheat and another for everybody else? He should have been thrown out of the game long ago.

When Murali bowled Collingwood it was a piece of bowling artistry. Twas poetry in motion, a thing of pure beauty.

you read rather different poets than i do, Panj- the difficulty with calling Murali a thrower is that the burden of proof is (rightly) with the accusers and so far they have been unable to prove their case but for many it is a matter of common sense. To me the long arm of the law should reach out and stifle the bent arm of the lawless toute de suite. Percy Thrower is alive and well and throwing up in Khandi IMO. GRR!

I only read the works of Samuel Foote, and he was a big fan of the extraordinary. He would have loved Muttiah almost as much as me.

Michael Holding, Shane Warne, Richard Hadlee- now they were extraordinary, Panj, but old Percy's a mere anarchist in comparison. When cricket is played properly it is the most aesthetic game around (though not necessarily the most entertaining) but I wince whenever I see the ball thrown to MM. Bring back Charlie Griffith, I say- ask Sid and Boz about him.

One more whinge and I'll shut up, Panj: MM's so called dosra suddenly started to turn the other way rather than merely holding its line as was the case a few years ago- and why was the that, think ye? In the view of some it was simply a matter of him "adjusting" (cough cough) his action somewhat. Which is to say that having got away with a few murders old Percy decided to up the ante a tad and become the biggest serial killer since Stalin- Stalin, now there was bowler, Panj!

Shane Warne? You mean that fat git who was taking drugs for no one knows how long to keep his obesity a secret?

Muttiah has a unique bowling action. Warne is a convicted drug cheat..

Oh, bowling, Mully, bowling my son..

I've been following this engaging and sometimes amusing debate between Panja and Blue Peter and after carefully considering the facts I find in favour of the noble Bluepeter.

If the rules of cricket were changed to allow anyone with the first name Dave to have a hundred free runs per innings, I'd have an average better than Sir Don Bradman.

If the rules of cricket were changed to tailor the rules of bowling action as to suit Murali 'dogs hind leg' action, he'd be the worlds leading wicket taker.

Sadly, for cricket, one of the above statements is true (I had an average of 14 last year). If I was the cynical sort, and I am, the governing bodies certainly do seem to be swayed by the countries who provide the biggest incomes (SL, Ind, Pak).

A young, tall, good looking all-rounder (for the purpose of this message we'll call davekermito) was pulled up over his bowling style in the heady world of the Raffety Arden Warwickshire league. A combination of off-spin finger action, a bent arm over 15 degrees from vertical and a decent bowling average was enough for this davekermito fellow for being prevented from bowling. Many say this bowling approach directly influenced Murali and Malinga's unorthadox styles. Others say it was a blatant throw and the book should be thrown. Either way, davekermito is gutted that:

1. It's allowed in international cricket!
2. The bowling figures were struck off the books.

Another five wicket haul I see. That's the 61st time he's done that. What a bowler..

well done, Percy! (I didn't know you enjoyed fishing, Panj)

I like deep sea fishing. I caught a good-sized Mari mari off Aruba which the chef at our hotel agreed to fillet and cook for us with a fried banana accompiniament. Beautiful.

The fishing's much better off Blackpool, Panj- I caught a Blue Whale up there a while ago which I swear nearly broke my rod.

isn't this the guy who cheats with his bowling action?

If Bloopy is to be believed, which he isn't, then yes, he is..

Surely England can't loose this test from this position now with only three days left .......can they ...
K.R.O.

Oh feck..

Marvellous, I agree, Panj.

The last time I managed to go fishing was in Grenada; again, deep-sea variety. Great entertainment, the time flew by. Landed (tagged and released) a sailfish of 60-90lbs - according to the certificate I was sent eventually. The other catch of two yellowfin tuna were retained by the boat's captain (along with those of the other two blokes*. I suppose he supplemented the meagre fortune he made from taking a party out fishing by flogging these to a hotel somewhere).

*One of those other blokes was John Burton Race, the chef, who is a lot more 'famous' for things other than just cooking these days.

PS I think Moreofachuckerman's record is now 62 Test Match 5-wicket hauls.

We caught two of the yellowfin tuna and two Mari mari. The captain of the boat was not too pleased when we took all four back to the hotel to be cooked. And getting a taxi back from the quay was a bit of a challenge in 32 degree heat and four dead fish on our laps..

You're right about Ding dong. 62 five wicket hauls. Cricoinfo.com are on GMT, one test behind..

What was the smell like in that taxi? On a scale of one to four, of course.

Well, we stitched the taxi driver up to be honest. Two of the lads who were fishing with us flagged him down while the other two of us hid in a doorway with the catch. When a taxi stopped we ran out and jumped in before he could drive off. It was 32 degrees but with the humidity it was closer and felt like 46. It wasn't pleasant in there I tell thee. Windows were wound down and heads were hanging out and damn to the air-con escaping.

One to four with rank being four? I'll give it five..

Sounds pleasant.

(I should have put scale in like "scale", shouldn't I?)

He's at it again. Four Indian wickets in 15 overs takes his tally to about 8,965 test career scalps..

Harumph!

Sri Lanka walk away, led by Murali and Mendis. The first day was nearly washed out and yet, here we are in the fourth day and it's all over. Mendis' match haul of 8 for 132 is the best by a Sri Lankan debutant, beating Kosala Kuruppuarachchi's 7 for 85 against Pakistan in 1986. Indians couldn't handle the double jeopardy. Total surrender.
The masterful Murali now has 746 scalps to his name in his 121 tests and he's taken ten or more in a match an amazing 21 times..


I'm not a fan..




oh...

Percy Thrower's day's seem to be numbered, Panj- from being the most successful projector of a cricket ball in the world he has gone to being the 2nd most successful in Sri Lanka with the emergence of young Mendis who, it seems, has perfected the subtle arts of bowling with recourse to the bent armed cynicism of his mentour (allegedly) As a former exponent of the satanic art of leg spin bowling (Kings Heath Brownies X- we were a player short I recall- circa 1965) I look forward to running the knowledeable BP eye over said Mendis when the Shrieking Lancans visit these shores next year.

Are you referring to the 23 year old Balapuwaduge Ajantha Winslo Mendis, who although is classified as a right-arm, slow-medium bowler, is a magician who bowls a mixture of googlies, offbreaks, top-spinners, flippers and legbreaks?

I've never heard of him..

He's already taken 3 five-fa's in the series against the Indians hasn't he? looks a great prospect to wind you and Puds up, which is nice..

He only gets his wickets cos the batsman facing him has to think

"Who's bowling now? oh, it's that ....Ballypudwah-huge Apanja WinsoMe Endis"

By the time said batsman is half way through a mental struggle with the name, the ball has been bowled and he's out.

Nay sir! Far from winding me up I shall delight in this cove's box of tricks- provided of course there is a frisson of legality about his action. I love watching world clas spinners ply their trade - Warne's first ball in this country, for instance, is imprinted idelibly in what passes for my mind.

He threw it..

Mr Gatting wished he had of done, because it wouldn't have spun so much from the leg stump to remove his off peg!

I thought we had already had this debate and concluded that I was right and that Murili was a cheating fecker?

Another ten wickets for the magician against a very difficult to break down Bangladeshi side oozing with confidence after one or two of their players recently getting into double figures with the bat.

And they say cheats never prosper, this obviously proves they do.

Puds, let it go mate, he's been tried and tested and tried and tested and then tried and tested some more. His bowling action is not suspect and he should be lauded as being the greatest bowler that ever was, which he surely is..