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By Venkat
 With
the heavy balloon of “chucking” floating atop
the ICC’s brainwaves, it seems nothing more than
an act of inactiveness that has propped the ICC
to turn stringent towards a man who’s cricketing
integrity has been under the scanner since 1995,
when he was first ‘called’ 7 times in 3 overs
for throwing by umpire Darrell Hair in
Australia. But the question that the ICC has
failed to reply in an acceptable manner is “Why
only Murali?” – Something the ICC has no answer
to. And to me, trying to ban someone after he
has scaled the summit of all that a bowler can,
just seems a cynical step towards self-mockery.
If I can accuse the ICC of double speak on any
issue, I think the chucking one is right on top.
After being cleared by ICC approved experts
repeatedly after being called, the ICC now in
its own way goes against its own ruling, which
unfortunately reveals the lack of
single-mindedness in Cricket’s Governing body.
I feel a bit sorry for a man who
has grabbed 520 wickets being scrutinized at a
stage of his career, where he has received
greatness par excellence for a country which has
played Test cricket for only 20 years. The ICC,
that has been described often as a “toothless
tiger” indeed proved its tag as its eyes opened
only in 1995 (3 years) after Murali started
playing cricket for Sri Lanka and the double
speak policy it is using for the cause is
ultimately not helping the healthy resolution of
this issue. Its not that the ICC doesn’t know
what they are doing, but its just that the
pressure applied by some of its core non-Asia
lobby containing countries like Australia and
England is making them take some of these
abhorrent decisions. The very action of the ICC,
which clearly has most of the sub continental
players reported and all of them not necessarily
cleared as compared to their non-Asian
counterparts seems a true reflection of its
policy being supported by its core members like
Australia, England, New Zealand etc. And
unfortunately for Asian nations like India,
Pakistan and Sri Lanka – justice delayed is
justice denied!
I agree to what Arjuna Ranatunga says, claiming
that this act of “chucking” is a phenomenon
occurring worldwide, but the microscope falling
only on one person is too harsh a way of
handling it. And with ICC over the recent years
turning a bit non-player friendly through its
way of handling individual player controversies
etc, justice to Muralitharan seems a long way.
With the Asian countries including India willing
to support a clause/act/law that is in full
support of Murali, the strong anti-Asian lobby
wants bowlers who are found guilty of chucking
banned for a season or two, which is a clear
vindication of how the ICC has since some years
become a lobby based organization. If there was
a question to the ICC, it would be that “Why
didn’t you open your mouth, when Shane Warne
took drugs??”. Why didn’t the same Barry Jarman
of Australia issue a statement against Shane
Warne when he was on drugs? Why didn’t the Asian
members of the ICC raise this issue on a
continual basis during the meetings? The reason
according to me was that it (Asian Lobby)
believed in preserving morality and integrity
among the ICC’s members. But, unfortunately some
of the ICC’s members have indulged in some kind
of foul play when it came to Murali?
Just as Stuart MacGill opted out of the tour of
Zimbabwe on moral and human grounds, I think in
a similar fashion, Murali should also not tour
Australia and England, putting his conscience
ahead of his career. His world record is in no
way at stake, but his conscience and credibility
of playing against Australia in Australia is
certainly at stake as the head of the state of
the country himself labelled him a “chucker” – a
compliment which could easily have a negative
impact on his mindset!
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