There are simply some things, people and achievements that will forever live on in the memory, transcending generations and change, people whose ability and presence allow them to shine on any stage that they arrive at. Player who will have won matches for their countries before they have even begun, because the opponents will have seen their name on the team-list and turned to stone.
With India playing Sri Lanka at the moment, a culmination of adjectives can describe the matches that are likely to occur, one’s with spice, drama and quality between arguably the two best Asian cricketing nations. But another element it provides viewers with is the tantalising head to head battle of the most prolific run-scorer in Test and One-Day International (ODI) history, against the most prolific wicket-taker in Test and One-Day International match history.
The career statistics of Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar and Muttiah Muralitharan makes the eye boggle. They also well and truly speak volumes of the quality of play given by the two over the quantity of time they have played (or did play for Murali). Tendulkar, on top of his run-scoring prowess, has, in this test series become the most-capped Test player in the history of cricket, overtaking Steve Waugh having represented his country at Test-level a whopping 169 times.
Matches Innings Runs Highest Score Average 100’s 50’s
168 274 13742 248* 56.08 48 55
Matches Innings Wickets Best Bowling Innings Average 10wkts 5wkts
133 230 800 9/51 22.72 22 67
Above – Top Row, Tendulkar’s Career Batting Statistics. Bottom Row, Muralitharan’s Career Bowling Statistics.
The records that the two share between them are a list of hall fame achievements; Highest run-scorer in Test and 50over cricket, Highest wicket-taker in Test and 50over cricket, Most-capped Test player and highest individual score (200) in ODI history to name but a few. But it is not just the numbers, statistics and records that mark these two individuals out as true legends of the game. They are also probably two of the most popular cricketers around; Tendulkar gets mobbed in India wherever he goes by his fans. This led to ex-Australian opening batsman Matthew Hayden saying, “I have seen God, and he bats at number 4 for India”. Muralitharan gets similar treatment in Sri Lanka for his humanitarian work after the 2006 tsunami on top of his cricketing abilities.
A batsman best known for his balance, poise and compact technique, Tendulkar has been terrorising bowling attacks since 1989, when he made his debut against Pakistan as a 16 and a half year-old batsman. The world was never ready enough for such a talent and his career statistics reflect this heavily. He is still playing today, 21 years later, and has scored runs in any situation, whoever, wherever and whenever. He has always been able to play both sides of the wicket with comfort as well as straight back down the ground. Neither did he ever have an issue playing of front or back foot either, with his signature shots being the pull and back foot punch through cover.
Best of Both Worlds; Most Prolific Run-Scorer, Tendulkar (left) and Most Prolific Wicket-Taker (right)
‘Murali’ as he is affectionately known, first came to fame in 1992 versus Australia, his unusual bowling action due to his abnormal wrist and elbow and ability to get the ball to spin off almost any surface. Many have protested the legitimacy of his bowling action, yet such objections have always been unfounded. Beyond this, the fact remains that he is a magnificent bowler, the likes of whom the world will never see again and with that one of the best ever seen. His 800 Test wickets stand as the proof in this pudding, he created a ball batsmen all round the world have been struggling to fathom ever since, the ‘Doosra’. It has caused such problems because of the brilliance and subtlety with which he disguises it, not allowing the batsman to ‘pick’ it, only for it to spin in the other direction to his normal, stock delivery. Calling it a stock delivery however, makes it sound terribly average, an adjective it has always been far from being, due to this infamous ability to get turn on nearly any strip. The ball to remove Indian number 11, Ojha, the one that subsequently brought about his 800th wicket was the last of his career, as he retired with immediacy after the match. It was truly a fairytale fashion with which to end a truly awesome 18 year international Test cricket career.
With Tendulkar still playing strong, having scored the 5th double hundred of his illustrious tenure, along with the flawless double hundred he scored against South Africa last year in the 50 over version of the game. It looks as though Murali will be missed even more keenly than off immediate impulse.
Undoubtedly the best players their countries have ever produced and arguably 2 of the greatest cricketers of all time. Watching either play really does let you know you are witnessing something truly unique and special. The world of cricket has been blessed plentifully by them and will be a sadder place for it when Tendulkar finally decides to rest his bat. Only then will cricketers worldwide realise just how good the “Little Master” and the “Spinning Genius” really were. With Murali’s abdication from the throne of bowling, I’m sure many international batsmen will have blown a great sigh of relief.
In other news ; Congratulations to Surrey, scoring the highest ever 40 over score in domestic history in their 38 over (rain delayed) innings. Skipper Hamilton-Brown scored 115 from 69 balls, legend Ramprakash 85* off 45 deliveries, with Spriegel 56* and Davies 88. All of this action coming at a run rate of over 10 an over! Incredible scenes down at The Oval.
Pakistan, after having won the toss at Edgbaston, slipped to 72 all out with Anderson and Broad taking 4-20 and 4-38 respectively and Steven Finn taking 2-10. With England currently on 75-2 with Trott and Pietersen at the crease, giving them a 3-run lead.
Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay meet in Stockholm tonight in a rematch of the Berlin World Championships 100m Final. In said race, Bolt set the current World Record of 9.58 and Gay, despite running the 3rd quickest time in history had to settle for 2nd, just ahead of Asafa Powell who unfortunately had to pull out through injury.
