I agree with most here that the "performance-enhancing" effect of this squash ball is at best debatable. But I also have to laugh when a lot of people here, and in the newspapers, want to say: "Well, I think Murali's a chucker, so who are THEY to talk about our Gilly???" I don't think Gilly was maliciously trying to cheat or gain an unfair advantage, but neither is Murali. Murali's action has been looked at several times by the ICC, mainly due to bitching by the Aussie contingent, and has been cleared. Meanwhile, wasn't Brett Lee's action under some suspicion for a while? But nobody talks about that... All they can say is "we can't pick Murali, so he must be cheating, if the all-conquering Aussies are having trouble with him..." And from the article I was reading today, people from several countries thought Gilly's tactic was a little bit in the "grey". But he's been cleared, so fair enough. I just wish you guys would do the same for Murali, but since he's going to beat Warnie's record, I guess that ain't happening, and he'll forever be "a chucker, and a blight on the game..."
At the end of the day Murali bowled 7 overs for 44 runs in the final and didn't get a wicket....squash ball and chucker aside, we still the World Cup and we did it in the dark!!
I agree with most here that the "performance-enhancing" effect of this squash ball is at best debatable. But I also have to laugh when a lot of people here, and in the newspapers, want to say: "Well, I think Murali's a chucker, so who are THEY to talk about our Gilly???" I don't think Gilly was maliciously trying to cheat or gain an unfair advantage, but neither is Murali. Murali's action has been looked at several times by the ICC, mainly due to bitching by the Aussie contingent, and has been cleared. Meanwhile, wasn't Brett Lee's action under some suspicion for a while? But nobody talks about that... All they can say is "we can't pick Murali, so he must be cheating, if the all-conquering Aussies are having trouble with him..." And from the article I was reading today, people from several countries thought Gilly's tactic was a little bit in the "grey". But he's been cleared, so fair enough. I just wish you guys would do the same for Murali, but since he's going to beat Warnie's record, I guess that ain't happening, and he'll forever be "a chucker, and a blight on the game..."
Even though Murali was the main culprit, Akhtar and Brett Lee were also 'throwing' at the time when they were up around the 155km/h mark.
There have been a few others too who have to had to modify their actions.
Anyway this is off topic for the original post. I'm sure this can be resumed in the heated discussion area when Murali breaks Warney's record soon.