Naughty Nasser sledges Murali

[London Dave]

Hussain has been reported, apparenty for calling Murali a ****** cheat and a ****** chucker, according to Cricinfo.

bout time someone did, imho.

[Donny]

Here's the report:

Hussain cleared after Muralitharan outburst

Andrew Miller at Kandy - Cricinfo


Nasser Hussain has been cleared of verbally abusing Muttiah Muralitharan, after an incident on the second day's play at Kandy. But Clive Lloyd, the ICC match referee, has cautioned England and Sri Lanka's cricketers, and warned that he will deal "very harshly" with any further transgressions.

Hussain, who had been fielding close to the wicket as Muralitharan came out to bat at the end of Sri Lanka's innings, was alleged to have sworn at Murali, who immediately lodged a complaint with umpire Aleem Dar. When the Sri Lankan management reported the incident, both players were called before the match referee at the close of play, along with England's coach Duncan Fletcher and the non-striker, Dinusha Fernando.

After studying video evidence of the incident, Lloyd admitted that something was clearly said, but there was no evidence to back up Murali's claims. But Lloyd, who had spoken to James Kirtley at the close of the first day's play, and to both sets of captains at the start of the second, was clearly frustrated at the attitudes of the teams.

"I am very disappointed at the behaviour of the players," said Lloyd. "As of tomorrow, anyone contravening the code of conduct will be dealt with very harshly indeed. These are professional players, they must show professional integrity. And as an ex-captain, I would have expected Hussain to show the right sort of guidance. At the moment I have had to exonerate him of the charge."

Murali's innings came to a bizarre conclusion, when he was bowled by Ashley Giles without either umpire noticing what had happened. Giles, who finished with five wickets, attempted to defuse the situation at the close of play. "Anything that's said out there is just meant to upset people which it probably has," he said. "It's important both teams keep their cool and we've been told about that but it's difficult. We are in high pressure situations out there, and it's hot and at times you may say something you regret."

It is not the first time that the Kandy Test has spilled over in such a way. Two years ago, the corresponding fixture descended into anarchy, and Lloyd is keen to prevent this match going the same way.

[Donny]

Well, don't tell me OTHER teams are naughty too !! I'm shocked.

These OTHER teams often point the accusing finger at the Aussies. Maybe Steve Waugh and his team are better at it than the rest ?

Or could it be that the Australian Test team is a very talented unit who are pretty good at ALL facets of the game.

Let's face it, they all sledge. If we could all understand the Pakistani, Afrikaans, Indian or New Zealand ( ) languages, we might have heard some pretty 'naughty' on field comments over the years.

I had to laugh when, after the Sth. Africans had been back in world cricket for a while, they were trying to toughen up as a team and follow the Aussies on field verbal agression.

Hansie and a couple of their other 'tough nuts' had finally got it through to the other mild mannered team members to 'stick it up' the Aussies when they came out to bat. Especially Steve Waugh.

So they were pretty chirpy, this particular day, and had taken 3 wickets so out strode the familiar figure with the red rag in his pocket. They were in an excited team huddle and dispersed as Waugh took guard.

Some had big grins as they prepared to unleash their rehersed taunts to the Aussie warhorse.

Before the first one left their lips, Waugh started. "Right, we're gonna bury you blokes today ! You, (points to a bowler) we've targeted you. You're going for heaps, mate. You, (points at another main bowler) you'll be lucky to get 3 overs. You blokes, (glares at the slips cordon) remember, you'd better not drop any catches. The press are savage out here"

Nobody was more taken aback than Cronje. The look on the face indicated what was going through Hansie's mind. "What !! He's sledging US ??"

[Donny]

Murali 'cheat, chucker'

From correspondents in Kandy - Fox Sports


MATCH referee Clive Lloyd today warned former England captain Nasser Hussain to behave himself after he was accused by Sri Lanka of abusing spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.

Lloyd summoned Hussain at the end of the second day's play of the second Test here after the home side complained that he had called Muralitharan "a cheat and a chucker".

The second day ended with England on 4-163 in reply to Sri Lanka's first innings 382.

Hussain allegedly made the comments when Muralitharan was batting during his knock of 19 in the second session of play.

Muralitharan reported the matter to umpires Aleem Dar and Daryl Harper immediately after the incident and the home side's manager Ajith Jayasekara followed it with a written complaint to Lloyd.

"I'm not announcing any penalty or ban because there is no conclusive evidence," said Lloyd after a hearing with Hussain and Muralitharan plus the captains and managers of both sides.

"But I'm disappointed at the conduct of the two sides and will not spare anyone if there is any other incident during this series."

Muralitharan also got involved in a bizarre incident at the end of the Sri Lankan innings.

The innings ended in confusion as he was bowled by Ashley Giles, but the umpires failed to see the ball clip the top of the off stump and initially ruled the batsman not out, a decision that prompted heckling from English supporters.

After a short conference, with England skipper Michael Vaughan joining in, the umpires signalled for television assistance.

Lloyd argued that they "knew something was wrong" and used "common sense". He denied suggestions that the umpires had been pressured into taking action by Vaughan.

[Newelly]

I agree but Donny that other teams undoubtedly have or do engage in sledging, but whats the point of swearing in Indian (Hindi?) when the other team can't understand you? Is a sledge a sledge when it has no effect? I believe the South Africans and Indians would sledge the Aussies in English if they wanted to intimidate them.

[Donny]

Yes, good point, Doc, although Warney explained in an interview how they knew all the swear words.

It doesn't surprise me but Buchanan has them learning all sorts of things and that is part of it. Not so much for the sledging but so they have an idea of whats being said, tactically.

[Blanch]

I'm not so sure Doc. I know if I had opposition looking me straight in the eye and speaking a native tongue with an aggressive tone I'd say that's intimidation just as much. Sledging is about putting your opponent off his game, sometimes through intimidation. Speaking a native tongue at someone can often produce the same, if not better, results than speaking a language both understand.

[Donny]

'It's like trying to get players sent off in football'

Andrew Miller in Kandy - Cricinfo

Graham Thorpe has hit back in the controversy surrounding Nasser Hussain and his alleged remarks to Muttiah Muralitharan, implying that Sri Lanka have been resorting to football-style tactics to try to get their opponents sent off.

Thorpe, who top-scored in England's first innings with a four-hour 57, expressed his surprise that Hussain's comments were allowed to leave the field of play. "As cricketers, we have come to expect a little bit of jabbering out in the middle," said Thorpe. "Most of the time it's in the right spirit. The only thing that surprises me is not too many players tell tales out of school.

"You don't need to do it," he added. "Sometimes you can push [the banter] too far, but generally most players know where the line is. You don't have to run off and tell people about it."

With the ICC beginning to clamp down on player behaviour, Thorpe believes there is a growing tendency for teams to highlight incidents that would once have been taken as part and parcel of a day's Test cricket. "There's quite a few of us in the dressing room who've taken plenty of stick off certain cricket teams over the years and we kept our mouths shut about it," he revealed. "It's like trying to get players sent off in football by waving hands at the ref and telling him it's got to be a yellow or red card - you don't need to do it. That's not sportsmanship in my book.

"A certain amount of what goes on on the field should stay on it unless it is blatantly obvious what is going on. There has always been a little bit of chat going on out there and it is no big deal."

Clive Lloyd, the match referee, asked for the stump microphones turned up to maximum in the aftermath of the Hussain-Marali spat. Listening to a direct feed in his room, he could pick up almost everything being said within 30 yards of the bat.