December 20, 2002	Friday	Shawwal 15, 1423

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PERTH, Dec 19: Star Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was still being treated unfairly by the Australian media, team manager Ajit Jayasekara claimed here on Thursday.

“We are concerned because we feel it is a bit unfair,” he said, referring to repeated references in newspapers and on radio to the 30-year-old’s action, despite his having been cleared of any illegality by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

“We have spoken about it, and the chairman of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) has made representations about it to the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) and I believe we were supported by the ACB.”

Muralitharan — a key part of Sri Lanka’s World Cup winning team in 1996 — was at the centre of a storm over his controversial action on each of his past two visits to Australia.

He was no-balled for throwing by Western Australian umpire Ross Emerson during a One-day International on his last visit to Australia in the 1998-99 season.

He was no-balled for the same reason by Darrell Hair during the second Test at Melboure in December, 1995, and by umpires Tony McQuillan and Emerson during a one-day clash against the West Indies in Brisbane in January, 1996.

Since the Sri Lankan side arrived in Australia just over a week ago for a new one-day series, the media have repeatedly asked questions about the little spinner, currently sidelined after surgery for a hernia.

He is expected to return to the bowling crease early in the New Year and to be fit to resume his place in the side in mid-January.

The latest defence of Muralitharan comes a day after Sri Lanka’s national cricket governing body dismissed Australian media criticism of one of the country’s national heroes.

Hemaka Amarasuriya, chairman of the BCCSL, slammed the media for highlighting the views of former Australian umpires on Muralitharan’s bowling action.

“It defies belief that the opinions of these gentlemen, which have been accepted as being in error, continue to make headlines in the context of articles which seem to suggest there is some credibility to their quite erronoeus views,” Amarasuriya said.

In a letter published in the state run Daily News, Amarasuriya said Sir Donald Bradman had commended Muralitharan as the most disciplined spinner.

Last week, Bradman and Muralitharan were named Wisden’s best batsman and bowler, respectively, in a top-10 listing of all time best players.

“Wisden had chosen Muralitharan as its top bowler and in doing so undeniably would have thoroughly examined all aspects of the game and his meritorious work,” Amarasuriya said.

Emerson in 1999 became the second Aussie umpire to call Muralitharan for suspected throwing.

Emerson’s 1999 call against Muralitharan led to a near walk out by the Sri Lankans in a triangular series one-day game against England at the Adelaide Oval in January 1999.—AFP