Muttiah Muralitharan, who was famously noballed for chucking in Australia, yesterday claimed he’s been offered the chance to coach the next generation of Aussie spinners at their Brisbane academy. Talk about bizarre.
In case anyone needs reminding, Murali once refused to tour Australia because of all the abuse he used to get. Not being ones to call a spade a shovel, the Aussie crowds used to harangue the Sri Lanka for having an arm that was more crooked than an Italian politician. What they failed to realise, of course, is that his arm is naturally bent, and chucking involves something called ‘straightening’. Bit complex for the average Aussie to understand I suppose.
Whether you love him or loath him, you’ve got to admire Murali’s balls. He’s obviously decided to bury the hatchet, presumably after taking it out of Daryl Hair’s skull, and put all the bad feeling behind him. However, knowing Murali, he probably just can’t resist a challenge – and if he wants to turn the likes of Xavier Doherty and Michael Beer into test class spinners, he’s certainly got one.
Nothing has been confirmed yet, as the ACB want him to coach at a time that clashes with Murali’s IPL commitments, but if this move does happen, and the Sri Lankan does decide to get in bed with the enemy, it would surely be the most unlikely marriage since Verne Troyer (that’s Mini-Me from Austin Powers) tied the knot with the glamour model Genevieve Gallen.
James Morgan
