http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Muttiah-Muralitharan-c78157 Set to Retire
Muttiah Muralitharan, who is known as one of the most controversial spin bowlers in cricket, has announced his retirement from Test cricket. Muralitharan, also known as Murali, the leading wicket-taker in Tests and One-day internationals, will play in his final match for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 in Galle. His One-day retirement is expected to follow after the World Cup next year, which is being co-hosted by Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan player had decided to quit Tests after the home series opener against India on July 18th.
When Murali mastered the doosra, an off-spinner that turns the other way, his technique became controversial as many complained that it was impossible to bowl the delivery legally. The ICC was eventually forced to settle upon a tolerance level of 15 degrees.
It is the combination of a disability through an elbow that he is unable to fully extend, combined with a supple wrist, which gives Murali his unique talent. And the 38 year-old player seems to be using that technique to his advantage. He only needs eight more wickets to become the first Test bowler to reach 800.
"I don't believe in numbers – 800 is just a number everyone will forget once you retire," said the Sri Lankan player.
"Over a long period of time, statistics don't lie," said Michael Clarke, the Australian Twenty20 captain. "I think a lot of batters around the world will be very happy they don't have to face him anymore," he added.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 cricketers and all Australian fans who've had the opportunity to watch him, congratulations are well and truly deserved. He's been an amazing ambassador for Sri Lankan cricket and what a talent, what a career. I really hope he gets those eight wickets."
Furthermore, Clarke added that the only bowler to compare with Murali, was the leg-spin of the now retired Australian player Shane Warne. "His performances are as good as anybody, apart in my eyes from Warnie, who I think is the greatest bowler of my time."
"But he (Murali) is right up there and having the opportunity to face him has been great for my career, he's been very tough. I'm 'pleased' I guess I won't have to face him in Test cricket again," said Clarke.
Murali initially planned to retire from Tests in November, but his manager Kushil Gunasekara shared that the player decided to move the date up.
"Murali took a decision to retire from Test cricket during the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 series in November, but with an unscheduled Indian series coming up he has fast tracked his retirement from Test cricket,” said Gunasekara.
"The selectors want Murali to be around just in case they don't find a suitable replacement for him for the 2011 World Cup. They probably want the spinners to work around Murali," he added.
Murali has taken 792 wickets in 132 Tests and 515 wickets in 337 ODIs. He is also the most successful bowler in international cricket history with record hauls in both Tests (792 wickets) and one-day formats (515 wickets).
The successful bowler, who also has a world record for the most five-wicket hauls, has also been a champion for disability and has became a national icon.
Murali's manager finally added: "He realised that his body could no longer take the vigorous physical demands of a five-day match. Everything in life has an expiry date."
Fans of cricket will certainly miss Murali, but it is highly doubted that his competitors will.
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