Muralitheran Set for Farewell Appearance
The man who rewrote the history books with a staggering performance in test cricket is set for one final hurrah at his favourite test venue.
Muttiah Muralitheran will quit test cricket after the first test of the three match home series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750, and the off-spinner is on the verge of another astonishing feat 800 test wickets.
The test is being played at Galle, a venue where Murli has tormented all international opposition with some magical spells.
Expectedly there is a real hype as a build up for the match with the local and international media looking to hear from the man of the moment who is considered a great ambassador of the game who was nicknamed by many as the “Smiling Assassin”.
In a total of 132 tests Murli has claimed 792 wickets at an absolutely astonishing average of less than 23 runs per wicket which is greater than any spinner in the modern average comfortably better than the likes of Shane Warne and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Anil-Kumble-c44737.
Muril has also taken 515 wickets in one-day international cricket, as the man from Kandy enjoys the unique double of being on top of both one-day and test cricket’s wicket takers list.
The captain of the Sri Lankan team Kumar Sangakkara has however vowed to keep his and his team’s focus on the match as the series is set to be a real challenge for the hosts considering the rising stature of the Indians who are currently ranked the number one test team in the world.
Sangakkara also asked the media and cricket fans in the country, to celebrate the last test for Murli and not put undue pressure on the 38 year old.
"As a team, the best we can do for Murali is to make sure we don't get too overwhelmed or carried away with what's happening but concentrate on really giving him a good farewell by playing a great match out there," Sangakkara told reporters on the eve of the first Test.
He added that his team needs to guard against the danger of getting distracted from their main goal, which was to overcome the Indian’s especially their much vaunted batting line-up.
"The danger always is that you get distracted. The key is not to resist what's happening around you, but just to relax and enjoy it and not worry about so many things. You've got to understand it. There is nothing that our team won't do for Murali. He's done so much for us this is just a little thing that we can do for him."
The Indians also have their task cut out as they are yet to record a win in a test series in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 and would have to be on the top of their game against a team that has done remarkably well in test cricket especially at home in recent years.
Meanwhile the Sri Lankan cricket board and the organising team of the Galle test have made special arrangement for the momentous occasion as invites have been sent to some of the leading cricketers and former captains of the country, who have been asked to converge to Galle and celebrate the test match.
Cricket fans and former and current players have also paid rich tributes to the man who took off-spin bowling to a new level, let us hope that we have an enthralling test match on our hands, where the best team wins and Murli reaches the 800 mark.
If the match is capped of by a Sri Lankan win then the country is set to party for days no end.
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