By Jon Pierik
October 27, 2007 FORMER Sri Lanka coach Tom Moody hopes Muttiah Muralitharan will be respected for the "genius" that he is as he braces for what may be another rugged tour of Australia.
Muralitharan and his teammates will step out for their first game of a two-Test tour in a warm-up clash against a Cricket Australia Chairman's XI in Adelaide today.
They will then have a three-day match against Queensland at Allan Border Field before the first Test begins at the Gabba on November 8.
The mild-mannered Muralitharan has said he will be well prepared for the crowd abuse which may go come his way again.
He has dealt with racist taunts and abuse about his kinky bowling action on previous tours of Australia, but officials hope there will not be a repeat of this as he takes aim at the nine scalps he needs to pass Shane Warne's record Test wicket tally of 708.
Moody, who forged a strong relationship with Muralitharan during his two-year stint in Sri Lanka, says the wily off-spinner is mentally strong.
"I thought he handled it well last time," Moody said of the 2003-2004 limited-overs series.
Muralitharan has been incensed in the past by regular crowd chants of "no ball" during his delivery stride, a taunt which stems back to when umpire Darrell Hair called him for throwing in 1995-1996.
Moody, now coach of Western Australia, says local crowds are also protective of Warne.
"I think it's because it (Australia) is the place where his (Muralitharan) action was put under the microscope," he said.
"We are also the home to one of the greatest spinners of all time in Shane Warne.
"When you have got Murali contesting for that position, it's human nature that you protect your own.
"He keeps bouncing back and it doesn't affect his performances."
The debate over the merit of Muralitharan's action and whether he deserves to be cricket's leading wicket-taker will intensify this summer if he passes Warne's mark.
While the likes of former India spinner Bishen Bedi have long questioned Muralitharan's action, Moody says he should be remembered as one of the game's greats.
October 27, 2007 FORMER Sri Lanka coach Tom Moody hopes Muttiah Muralitharan will be respected for the "genius" that he is as he braces for what may be another rugged tour of Australia.
Muralitharan and his teammates will step out for their first game of a two-Test tour in a warm-up clash against a Cricket Australia Chairman's XI in Adelaide today.
They will then have a three-day match against Queensland at Allan Border Field before the first Test begins at the Gabba on November 8.
The mild-mannered Muralitharan has said he will be well prepared for the crowd abuse which may go come his way again.
He has dealt with racist taunts and abuse about his kinky bowling action on previous tours of Australia, but officials hope there will not be a repeat of this as he takes aim at the nine scalps he needs to pass Shane Warne's record Test wicket tally of 708.
Moody, who forged a strong relationship with Muralitharan during his two-year stint in Sri Lanka, says the wily off-spinner is mentally strong.
"I thought he handled it well last time," Moody said of the 2003-2004 limited-overs series.
Muralitharan has been incensed in the past by regular crowd chants of "no ball" during his delivery stride, a taunt which stems back to when umpire Darrell Hair called him for throwing in 1995-1996.
Moody, now coach of Western Australia, says local crowds are also protective of Warne.
"I think it's because it (Australia) is the place where his (Muralitharan) action was put under the microscope," he said.
"We are also the home to one of the greatest spinners of all time in Shane Warne.
"When you have got Murali contesting for that position, it's human nature that you protect your own.
"He keeps bouncing back and it doesn't affect his performances."
The debate over the merit of Muralitharan's action and whether he deserves to be cricket's leading wicket-taker will intensify this summer if he passes Warne's mark.
While the likes of former India spinner Bishen Bedi have long questioned Muralitharan's action, Moody says he should be remembered as one of the game's greats.
