The spinning wizard Muttiah Muralitharan claimed his 800th test wicket with his final ball to cap a career.The fairytale finish to his test career test Srilanka on course for a comfortable 10-wicket victory on India.The “smile assassin” Muttiah Muralitharan was born on april 17,1972 in Srilanka.His exceptional ability to turn ball comes from his unorthodox wristy off-spin,and permanently bent elbow attributed to a birth defect.
On his bowling style many debates are held in past time,like in Melbourne in 1995,when umpire Darrel hair no-balled him for “chucking” in the annual boxing day test match.The spin wizard says;”I didn’t expect it at the time and i was disappointed.But a lot of people helped me…because of that I came through.Umpires make their decision through the naked eye.It’s their job and I’ve no grudge against anybody because it’s a game”.
That all seemed in the distant past on last test of Murali as he was hoisted on the shoulders of his teammates in celebration and carried off the field,holding the ball up in the air and salute to his fans.His bowling action was cleared by the international cricket council(ICC) in 1996 following biochemical analysis at the university of western Australia and at the university of Hongkong.Murali bowling action was passed again by icc in 1999,after he had been no-balled on the 1998-99 tour of Austrilia.He shrugged of another controversial call in 2004 when his deliveries was reported by english match referee Chris broad in Srilanka.
After much deliberation,the international cricket council(ICC) has consistently ruled that due to his birth abnormality,his bowling action is absolutely legal.Murali helped Srilankan team to a surprising victory i n the 1996 WC and using his trademark “Doosra”.After announcing he planned to retire from test cricket,at the time he had 792 wickets to his name,Muralitharan again had the entire country behind him as he sought eight more for one last milestone.After getting a five wicket haul in first innings in Galle,he claimed three in second innings to finish match.

Anyone entering the Galle stadium to attend the practice session of  India and Srilanka ahead of their series opener on saturday,was greeted with a hoarding that read”Thank you Murli”.

By evening,huge cutouts of the most successful bowler in cricket history werw put up at the venue to celebrate Muralitharan last test.With the bowler just eight wickets short of 800 scalps,Srilanka cricket and Galle district cricket association had also arranged a gigantic electronic wicket counter.

Despite everyone in the Srilankan cricket fraternity trying to his best to give best possible send-off to their most beloved cricketer,the man himself was unperturbed.Muralitharan said;”It is just another match and it is going to be last match for me”,he said after nets session.”I’ve been happy with the way i have played in last 18-19 years for my country.Hopefully,I’ll do well and get good result for srilanka and retire very well.That’s the whole plan”.

Through murli tried to remain as calm as possible,be did a bit emotional towards the end of the interaction.”I never dreamt i would be finishing like this.I think i had a great finish because i have done very well in my entire cricket career.You can’t get record easily,so many have tried and I am the best at the moment.Because of that,I’ve no regrets”.He said;”God has given me everything, I am fulfilled with that. I am not said, I am very happy with what i’ve achieved and i am glad,I am going out in a good manner because people aren’t asking me to stay but still i want t go because this is the manner i want to go out in.I am not dreaming about any past performance or anything.I am thinkng only about the match finish well and retire properly.”

http://livecricketpro.wordpress.com