Saturday 24th March, 2012 15 egendary Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan opines that even though Sachin LTendulkar is ahead of every batsman in terms of runs scored and centuries hit, the great West Indies batsman Brian Lara was better than him. “Statistics-wise he may be, but there are better players such as Ricky Ponting while Brian Lara is the Tendulkar has all the records, best player that has ever been. When I bowled, I Tendulkar has all the records, always found Brian Lara difficult,” Murali said. Murali, who retired from inter- national cricket after the 2011 World Cup, bagged 800 Test wickets and 534 One-Day International scalps. The legendary spinner but Lara is better: MuraliMurali doesn’t even rate himself but Lara is better: higher than any other ners over the years. Shane Warne is one of the greats people have taken more than 200 in world cricket.” war between the majority Sinhalese population and bowler. and it’s good for the game that he took a lot of wickets “I believed in what I wanted to achieve and I the Tamils, Murali insists there was never any kind of “I never really feel that [708 in Tests, 293 in ODIs] and achieved it. I have no regrets, I enjoyed my game. I tension within the Sri Lankan squad. I’m the greatest bowler in was part of the winning retired when I thought it was time. I didn’t want to “It was not difficult at all. At the time there was the game. Statistics-wise I Australian sides. He was a go on to take 1,000 wickets. Now I just enjoy my life nothing really racist about Sri Lankan cricket. If you may be the greatest great ambassador for world with my family.I look are good enough, you played for your country.For us but I have seen so cricket,” Murali told ‘London back and think, ‘I’ve players, the civil war and its problems didn’t matter. many great Evening Standard’. had a very good life.’ We didn’t care much as sport was going on,” he insist- bowlers, Talking about Graeme Swann, Imagine how many ed. great currently ranked number one in people are suffering Murali, who developed the reputation for being the spin- ODI rankings, Murali said, “He start- to get one meal in prankster in the Sri Lanka dressing room, says, “You ed very late. He has a long way to go. this world. I am have to be a little bit like that when you’re playing. I’m not going to put him in Shane blessed,” Murali You have to be joking, have fun, otherwise you will get Warne’s category but he’s a good bowler. Brian Lara said. bored.” The legendary spinner also added Despite having The right-arm spinner had migrated from India that England need to win more matches played his entire with his parents, says India is his second home. “My overseas to prove they really are the career in the first home is obviously Sri Lanka. India is a great No. 1 side. “England are a good team. backdrop country but a second home.” But the best team in the world? That of 30- Murali also praised England batsman Graham is difficult to say unless they go and year Thorpe, who retired from the international cricket in beat people in other people’s own civil 2005 after scoring 6,744 runs in 100 Tests. backyards.” “When I started, English batsmen did not play spin Bishan Singh Bedi, the former much, then they were not good enough. Nowadays Indian captain and left-arm spinner, says English players play spinners better: reading spin Murali is a pie-thrower. When asked from the hand, not playing off the pitch. Graham Muttiah about Bedi’s comments on him, Murali Thorpe was the best English batsman, he read my Muralitharan retorts, “I don’t care who Bedi is. He is just spin and played me well.” another cricketer who played a long time ago. That’s www.cricketcountry.com it! He has only taken around 200 wickets [266], many Big guns win openers in “112th Battle of the Blues” Hong Kong Sevens Seventh wicket stand propels Thomians A seventh wicket stand worth 121 runs Blues Big Match at Matara yesterday. Scores: between Ashan Ranasinghe and Hashan The seventh wicket pair frustrated St. St. Thomas’ 180 for 7 at stumps in 90 Vimarshana helped St. Thomas’ College Servatius’ during a 55-over period and overs (Ishan Kanishka 27, Ashan recover to post 180 runs for seven wickets scored half centuries before being parted. Ranasinghe 57, Hashan Vimarshana 66; at close after being 57 for six wickets at Skipper Ranasinghe scored 57 runs facing Gihan Nimsara 2/20, Pamal Dananjaya one stage against St. Servatius’ College as many as 175 balls, while Vimarshana 2/18) on day one of the 112th Battle of the was unbeaten on 66 runs at stumps. (RF) 54th Battle of the Mangosteens Manatunga’s back to the wall knock helps Kalutara Vidyalaya Skipper Dharshana Manatunga Niranjan dropped anchor from one end Scores: scored a back to the wall century to after left-arm spinner Nimesh Kalutara Vidyalaya 197 all out in 66 help Kalutara Vidyalaya post 197 runs Madushan ran through the top order to overs (Dharaka Dilshan 15, Isuru after being four wickets for 46 runs at place them at 59 for four wickets dur- Buddhika 15, Dharshana Manatunga Rugby fans dance during the first day matches of the Hong Kong Sevens rugby tourna- one stage on day one of the ‘Battle of ing one stage of the match. 104n.o; Kasun Buddhika 21, Shanika ment in Hong Kong, Friday, March 23, 2012. (AP) the Mangosteens’ against Tissa Put to bat Kalutara Vidyalaya wob- Shehan 17; Ishara Danesh 2/42, Roshitha Central at Kalutara Esplanade yester- bled against Roshitha Dilshan who Dilshan 5/75) HONG KONG (AP) — An injury-hit and raced past poor tackles to score day. picked up five wickets, but Manatunga Tissa Central 97 for 4 at stumps (Damidu New Zealand began the defense of its between the posts. Tom Mitchell’s con- In reply Tissa Central were 97 for managed to guide his team to safety as Niranjan 52n.o, Chanaka Lakshan 18; Hong Kong Sevens rugby title with a version put England ahead. four wickets at stumps with opener he scored an unbeaten 104 runs with 11 Nimesh Madushan 4/32) comfortable 29-5 win over the United From the kickoff Agustin Migliore Damidu Niranjan unbeaten on 52. fours and three sixes. (RF) States on Friday. ran into England’s half and regathered The other four former champions — his chip near the 22 but the move ended Fiji, Australia, England and Samoa — when a pass went to nobody, and packed into three pools in a revised for- England eventually scored a third try 24th Battle of Kelaniya mat also won before a record first-day with seconds to go. crowd of 39,243. Samoa will vie with England for the New Zealand, the 10-time winner of Pool A win after beating Kenya 19-7. the jewel in the sevens world series, was Samoa wasn’t safe until four minutes Dharmaloka 115, Gurukula 117/5 without series leading tryscorer Frank from the end when Paul Perez surged Halai, vice captain Lote Raikabula, infield and was backed by Afa Aiono, Gurukula College were 117 for five helped them end the day with a two run (Tharindu Madusanka 31, Sapumal Solomon King and Toby Arnold, but still whose back-flip pass sent Alatasi Tupou wickets at stumps in reply to lead with five wickets in hand. Bandara 17, Malka Madusanka 20, Janith had too much talent for the Americans. to behind the posts. Dharmaloka College’s 115 runs on day Earlier, Gurukula paceman Roshan Madushan 14; Roshan Anuruddha 3/29, The New Zealanders scored three tries In Pool C, 12-time champ Fiji ran in one of the 24th ‘Battle of Kelaniya’ Big Anuruddha picked up three wickets for Nalin Perera 2/15, Hashan Dumindu 2/15) without reply by halftime. seven tries in beating Scotland 39-5 and Match which commenced at R. 29 runs which helped restrict Gurukula 117 for 5 at stumps in 38 overs In the same pool, Wales’ errors let Australia handled France 31-10. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo yester- Dharmaloka to a low score. Only (Lisula Lakshan 50n.o; Roshan South Africa win by a flattering 10-0 Pool play will be completed on day. Tharindu Madusanka managed to top 30 Anuruddha 14, Hashan Dumindu 20; with unconverted tries to Boom Prinsloo Saturday with the knockout stages on In reply to Dharmaloka’s 115 runs, runs for Dharmaloka. Gayana Geethanjana 2/28) and Cecil Afrika. Sunday. The 12 leading teams are com- Gurukula lost three quick wickets, but an Scores: (RF) England, which last won Hong Kong peting for the title, while another 12 are unbeaten half century by Lisula Lakshan Dharmaloka 115 all out in 55.4 overs six years ago, came from behind to beat playing a separate competition beside Argentina 19-10. After Argentina went them to determine the three who will ahead again 10-5, England sent in substi- join the dozen core teams in next sea- Under-19 Cricket Quarter-Finals tute Rob Vickerman, who a minute later son’s series. 34th “Battle of the Golds” quick-tapped a penalty from midfield Petes thrash St. Sylvester’s Dhanushka tames 106th “Battle of the Maroons” to book semi-final spot Kingswood make BY REEMUS FERNANDO his unbeaten 57 (in 63 balls), Kegalu Vidyalaya while Shasheen scored the win- Shasheen Fernando and skip- ning run which also brought per Shehan Fernando put on an him his half century which was BY RUKSHAN RAZAK 216 against Rajans unbroken 110-run partnership to compiled in 70 balls.