[Archived] Hail Murali - The Greatest Bowler Of Them All

[jim mk2]

Those who know their cricket knew it anyway but now Sri Lanka spin wizard and honorary Lancastrian Muttiah Muralitharan has become officially the greatest bowler in the history of Test cricket.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtm...ucmurali103.xml

And for the whingers down under there is this message.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/col...icle2987984.ece

[thenodrog]

Those who know their cricket knew it anyway but now Sri Lanka spin wizard and honorary Lancastrian Muttiah Muralitharan has become officially the greatest bowler in the history of Test cricket.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtm...ucmurali103.xml

And for the whingers down under there is this message.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/col...icle2987984.ece

Most wickets taken perhaps but 'greatest' I dunno Jim. These guys play a lot of test matches nowadays. However will anybody rem and still be talking about Muri and Warne in 70 years time? Have they had a great effect on Test cricket? I doubt it, but by that criteria Harold Larwood must be the main man.

[Flopsy]

But Theno, by that logic I am the best bowler that has ever lived, its just the fact that I didnt get chance to bowl at international level.

The guy is the best bowler in the world, because he has taken teh most wickets in an era that is totaly skewed towards the batsman.

Plus he wins games nearly singlehandedly for Sri Lanka, whereas Warney (who I also think is great before the aussies get on my case) had Pigeon bowling from the other end.

Wickets count and he's got them, and it is unlikely we will see someone get close to them in our lifetimes

[SouthAussieRover]

Hail Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

Their teams fielded the greatest batsmen the game has ever seen.

[Blueboy Downunder]

yes, well done murali, you are the greatest of them all. less test matches, better bowling average and more 5 and 10 wicket match hauls than warney.

To be continued.....cause i am late for work

[Bing]

Murali's entry on the wicket takers list should always be marked with an asterisk and include as a note that he was a blatant chucker. The rules of the game have been changed for one man.

[adopted scouser]

Throw, throw, throw the ball, gently down the seam

Murali, Murali, Murali, Murali, chucks it like a dream

Bowl, bowl, bowl the ball, gently through the air

Murali, Murali, Murali, Murali, here comes Darrell Hair ... No Ball

[grizfoot]

I still think he chucks the ball. But still fair play to him for getting that many wickets.

[Exiled_Rover]

Definately a chucker.

[Eddie]

It does look like he throws it, but when you see the footage of him from computers it does appear that he is within the laws. Even if he is throwing it he is amazingly talented, as I don't think he is I'd have to say he is the best bowler I have ever seen. To take that many wickets when playing for a mediocre side is one hell of an achievement, even if a lot of them have come against lower test nations.

[Blueboy Downunder]

today at work one of the lads commented...."murali is the greatest off spinner the world has ever seen, but warney is still a better bowler". in my mind i think it would be fair to assume that if the roles where reversed and murali was an australian, then they would say that he is the better bowler. warney was one of the all tiem great test bowlers, but his career at the top level is now over and somebody else has passed him for most wickets, enough said. come on folks give murali the credit he deserves.

the way he cocks his wrist at the time of the ball leaving his grasp, it is like the ball is coming out the back of his hand, so how that can been seen as a chucker is beyond me. for me darryl hair has a beena controversial figure for years and it was he who started all these accusations on murali.

[Blueboy Downunder]

stats courtesy of cric info:

http://stats.cricinfo.com/guru?sdb=compare...lds=comparetype

[Beta Ray Bill]

Warne played in a team crammed with other talented bowlers who were just as likely to take wickets. Murali takes far more wickets than his team mates.

Basically - has Murali's total been 'helped' by the lesser talents not taking wickets, or is his bowling stopping them taking wickets? Was Warne's total limited as the rest of teh attack was good, or had he maxed out?

I still think Warne is/was a better bowler.

[Flopsy]

Murali doesnt chuck, they changed the rules because they realised after investigating his action and lots of other bowlers' actions that his arm bent less than a lot of quicks, tehrefore they brought in the 15 degree rule. I've seen him bowl all his deliveries in a cast. its not chucking its jsut good bowling.

Murali is the better bowler, Warne is the better cricketer

Who would I have in my team? Warne, without a doubt, but I'd pick both of them if I could.

However not wishing to remind people, but Murali hasnt been banned for a year for taking banned substances, Warne has.

Whats worse, a slightly bent elbow? Or being a drugs cheat?

[Cheshireblue]

Whats worse, a slightly bent elbow? Or being a drugs cheat?

Drugs cheat is clearly worse.

Warne should be stripped of all recognition as he has been banned for taking illegal substances. Murali has taken more wickets in fewer tests with very little support from other Bowlers. Warne has taken his wickets whilst under the influence of performance enhancing drugs and also with the likes of McGrath at the other end building up the pressure so that taking wickets is easier for a spinner. Murali has basically had to build up his own pressure which is much more difficult.

Murali cannot influence the fact that he has a very flexible elbow. Warne can influence the fact that he stuck banned substances into his body.

In many ways it is a shame that Warne chose his path. He achieved some really great things in cricket and was capable of turning a game on his own - either with bat or ball, but for me there will now always be shadow over his career. He is the closest thing that the crims have had to a Botham, who also had his brush with drugs, but that was the odd reefer rather than anything performance enhancing.

Murali the greatest in my lifetime, but Larwood the greatest ever.

[Presty On Tour]

murali is nothing compared to phil tuffnell in his hay day

in all honestly though, congrats to the guy. yeah he's got a unique bowling style which works, rules or not the record stands.

[blue phil]

Muttiah Muralitharan has become officially the greatest bowler in the history of Test cricket.

"Officially" ! ?

Don't get carried away , jimbo ........you're not scribbling one of Rupert's headlines now .

I'm afraid it's a matter of opinion - how can you compare a spin bowler with a dodgy action with a fast bowler , for example , from a century ago ?

Sri Lanka's best ever bowler - let's just leave it at that .......and ignore the chucking in the interests of preserving cricketing harmony in the world .

[broadsword]

Officially the leading wicket-taker.

Best bopwler is a matter of opinion.

Personally, I vote for Alan Igglesden

[neekoy]

Murali is the greatest wicket taker and good luck to him.

Warne was always a class above, took more wickets against better nations and took England apart for over a decade.

Take Zim and Bangladesh and the overwhelming number of home test matches out of the mix and he is behind by about 200 wickets

[Flopsy]

Murali is the greatest wicket taker and good luck to him.

Warne was always a class above, took more wickets against better nations and took England apart for over a decade.

Take Zim and Bangladesh and the overwhelming number of home test matches out of the mix and he is behind by about 200 wickets

Yawn - take away his wickets against them and look at his strike rate, and average - its still better than Warnes.

Try again

[Sparky Marky]

The guys a fraud.....Its all a big con...he chucks the ball...

[Flopsy]

HE

DOES

NOT

And anyone who claims so doesnt understand Cricket, bio-mechanics or in fact the spirit of the game - if you want to be stupid and slate Murali, well thats you're perrogative, however if you do that you need slate Warne twice as abdly for taking banned substances

[Nate]

Gee, those diuretics really enhance your performance

[Flopsy]

they do when used as a masking agent for steroids when coming back from injury.

Next!

[Flopsy]

i thought he did that by texting like a demon