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'Technology has proved I am clean' - Muralitharan

Champion offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan said he decided to quit international cricket after the first Test against India to challenge himself to get the eight wickets needed to reach the 800 Test wickets record

Sa'adi Thawfeeq
09-Jul-2010
Muttiah Muralitharan: "Eight hundred wickets is just a number since I already have the world record"  •  AFP

Muttiah Muralitharan: "Eight hundred wickets is just a number since I already have the world record"  •  AFP

Champion offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan said he decided to quit international cricket at the end of the first Test against India at Galle to challenge himself to capture the eight wickets he needs to become the first bowler in cricket history to reach 800 Test wickets.
"Eight hundred wickets is just a number because I already have the world record," said Muralitharan addressing his first press conference since announcing his retirement on Tuesday. "I have taken it as a challenge to give me the motivation to take the eight wickets I need to reach that mark and also win the Test for my country. I hope we can achieve it. I have confidence that we have a good Test team and I hope we can win my farewell Test and hopefully the series."
Muralitharan was happy with the quality of spin bowlers in Sri Lanka, with Ajantha Mendis, Rangana and Suraj Randiv coming along well. "I thought the time is right to move out because we have three good spinners. I hope they also get a chance because as a youngster I got a chance to perform that's how I came to this level. They will also become good spinners in time to come."
In addition to the 792 Test wickets, Muralitharan also holds the record in ODIs with 515 wickets to his name. He was ready to turn out for Sri Lanka in the World Cup next year if required. "I had a chat with the chairman of selectors, the captain and the selectors and gave my views about playing one-day cricket. There are so many youngsters they can try them and see for the World Cup. If I can fit in definitely I will come and help but if the youngsters are doing well and the team is also doing well, I will be happy to support them to win the World Cup," he said.
Muralitharan said the greatest satisfaction he derived in his 18-year career was winning the 1996 World Cup. "That victory has brought us everything and for Sri Lanka cricket especially. We won the World Cup and because of that all the countries became scared of us. Before that they thought Sri Lanka was an easy team to beat. After the World Cup victory other teams gave us a lot of respect.
"That win has been a tremendous achievement in my life. You can't get that feeling by words. When you win a World Cup it's something that comes from your heart. We as cricketers have dreams. When I was young I never thought I would play for Sri Lanka but I managed to play and I had that dream of winning a World Cup. Actually it happened and it has been the most important cricketing thing in my life."
Muralitharan said he thought his career as a cricketer was over at the height of the throwing controversy in Australia in 1995-96 when he was no-balled by Australian umpires Darrel Hair and Ross Emerson.
"But thanks to Arjuna Ranatunga (the captain), Aravinda de Silva (vice-captain) and the Cricket Board officials at the time they backed me. Because of their backing and the public who were behind me I am here today talking to you with all these tremendous bowling records. Otherwise I would have been just another bowler who played a little bit of cricket and went off. At one time I thought I would give up and bowl leg-spin. Fortunately everyone helped me get over it," Muralitharan said.
"At the time I might have got upset because that is human nature, but I never got angry with the people who accused me of throwing. People have different opinions and at the time they might have thought I was doing wrong. My reply to them is without looking at me with the naked eye, try and judge me with the technology that is now available for everything.
"Why don't they use it and see whether there is anything wrong with my bowling action. That's the only argument I have against them. A thousand people can have different opinions. There will be people supportive of my bowling action and others not. Technology has proved that I am clean, but when you want to criticise someone you don't need technology, it's all what you think about that person. That is the reality of life. I don't regret anything at all. What I have done is memories and it will be there with me. People can carry their own opinion about me but I don't care for as long as I am clean I am very happy," he said.
Muralitharan picked his 16 wickets for 220 runs against England at the Oval in 1998 as his best bowling performance in Test cricket, an effort he said which earned a name for him in the international cricket arena. "In those days England used to give us only a one-off Test but after that win, England looked at us differently and gave us a Test series."
Muralitharan said if someone was to break his record he will need to work really hard to get there. "Fred Trueman said when he took 300 Test wickets that if someone wanted to break his record he would be a very tired man. Bowlers have since more than doubled that figure. Records are meant to be broken and some genius will come and break it you'll never know. I will be happy for whoever who does that."