Murali gives Boof the finger

[Donny]

Grinning Murali taunts Boof

By Robert Craddock - Fox

MUTTIAH Muralitharan saw Darren Lehmann coming his way at practice yesterday, flashed his toothy grin and playfully waved his finger at his conquered foe.

The unspoken message was clear ... "I'm one-up ... my mystery ball was too good for you yesterday and I loved it."

For all his success there is a wide-eyed boyish innocence about Sri Lankan spin star Muralitharan which enables him to get away with little taunts that even hard-nosed West Indian great Curtly Ambrose wouldn't try in his prime.

Muralitharan's devilish doosra turned the opposite way Lehmann expected it to and bowled him behind his pads for a classical piece of spin bowling deception.

His six-wicket haul on the first day of play rocked Australia and forced them to review their plans against him.

Before the Test Muralitharan confided in the Australians he was not bowling well. Now his body language is that of a man who senses great rewards ahead.

He is bent-armed and dangerous and the fact that the first person to shake his hand as he was walking off was the local curator confirms local intent to give him every chance of succeeding here.

Australia tried to be positive against him but it didn't work - the question now is do they stay with Plan A or develop a Plan B.

Former Sri Lankan coach and Australian off-spinner Bruce Yardley believes for Australia to prosper they must reassess their game plan, leave their sweep shots in their kit bags and accept that at times 225 rather than 330 is a solid day's work.

Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist and Damien Martyn were all dismissed sweeping and the Sri Lankans are prepared to put two men behind square to minimise Australia's rewards from a high-risk stroke.

"Murali bowled well but not that well - there were some soft dismissals and they have to stop sweeping," Yardley said.

"Aravinda de Silva was the best player I ever saw bat in these conditions - he made seven Test centuries in a row here - and I don't think I ever saw him sweep.

"The ball holds up here which makes it too hard to sweep. It's not like at home where it rushes on to the bat. They have to be more patient."

Before the tour Australia secured video highlights of New Zealand captain Steve Fleming's 274 not out against Sri Lanka in Colombo two years ago which proved a role model for the Australian left handers.

[Donny]

Sometimes I wonder just how much Craddock knows about cricket.

He writes: "Muralitharan's devilish doosra turned the opposite way Lehmann expected it to and bowled him behind his pads for a classical piece of spin bowling deception."

Wrong. Lehmann clearly picked the so called doosra, walked a touch too far inside it and missed with his leg glance. A Test batsman would hardly walk to the offside to play a leg glance to an off spinning ball.

Bruce Yardley's comments are to the point and come from a man who knows Sri Lankan cricket well from his 2 year coaching stint with the national team.

However, his 'don't sweep at all' thoughts are not necessarily the way to go. Be more circumspect, of course, but the dismissals of Hayden and Gilchrist bear some examination.

Hayden's shot was simply high risk as there were two men out there. If you're going to play a sweep in the air, it needs to be to a vacant outfield or a definite attempt at a six.

Gilly's sweep, although the above qualifications also applied, was simply way too early in his innings. The shot was certainly on as there was an easy single, along the ground, to mid wicket.

Aravinda wasn't a particularly good sweeper away from Sri Lanka anyway so his great form on home soil without sweeping isn't necessarily conclusive. Some of the greats - Steve Waugh for example with the hook - simply didn't play a certain shot they considered risky.

[JLC]

If the Aussies were smart they would learn from their mistakes and pay the Sri Lankan bowling some respect instead of trying to belt it all over the park.

Whether or whether they dont pick Murali the fact is he is still getting them out....lol He has been the difference this match so far.

As for Lehmann you mentioned "a test batsman"....lol Lehmann is just a very good Pura Cup player

jlc