MELBOURNE, Australia, Friday - The presence of the world's number one off spinner Muthiah Muralitharan here in Australia is something akin to Sadam Hussein's biological weapons of mass destruction which sends off the umpires, cricketers and media men running for dear life.
This little spinner who is bowling the way his creator wanted him to is being taunted, tormented and tortured everywhere he goes or plays. The batsmen fear him. The media is hounding him. The umpires are not watching whether he is overstepping. What they are most concerned and fear is his bowling arm.
After Sri Lanka's first two games against England and Australia in the Carlton and United one-day series, two umpires have expressed doubts about Muralitharan's action and are expected to send their reports to the Australian Cricket Board.
Peter Van Der Merve, the former South African cricketer who is the match referee confirmed that complaints have been made against Muralitharan's action and that he would be submitting a report to the International Cricket Council.
This is how the series referee has been quoted in one of the morning dailies here:
'It is certainly not the standard action. Part of my job is to look out for bowlers with doubtful actions. I will be sending a report to the ICC and they can handle it how they see fit. It is not for me to decide whether he is a chucker. The ICC has a sub-committee that makes decision and may recommend remedial coaching.
'It is a very distasteful thing to brand someone a chucker. But it is much better to try to rescue them than make a scapegoat of them.'
The first thing I did when I read this news item which is a lead story in the morning daily with the bold headline in capitals - CHUCK BOMB SHELL - was to contact Ranjit Fernando, the manager of the Sri Lankan team and ask him for his comments.
Fernando expressed surprise when I informed him about the new furore.
I had a chat with series referee Va der Merwe after the game in Sydney and nothing propped up about Muralitharan. After reading the story, I contacted officials of the Australian Cricket Board and they too were in the dark.
'Nothing has been brought to my notice. As for us, the Muralitharan matter has been discussed at the highest forum and that is good enough for us. We will continue to play him because that is what he is here for', said Fernando annoyed by the wild allegations that are being bowled about this magic spinner.
Skipper Arjuna Ranatunga has always said that he sees nothing wrong in Muralitharan's bowling action. 'He has been passed by 40 of the best umpires in the world and isn't that a vote of confidence' asked Ranatunga who promised to fire his stinger at all opposing batsmen.
Sri Lanka although beaten in the first two games has eight more games and the possibility of two or three finals in the current series.
However the gut feeling is that Muralitharan will be 'called' before this series ends. Muralitharan was called seven times in three overs by umpire Darrel Hair in the Melbourne Test in 1995 and was later called again during a one-day international by Ross Emerson and Tony McQuillan.
Muralitharan will face Emerson and McQuillan when Sri Lanka play England in Adelaide on January 23. The question to be asked is: Why are the Aussies jumping like catfish, when they hear the name of Muralitharan or see him? Another paper said that 'Murali' is the son of a chocolate shop owner in Colombo who was raised in a boarding house because his family didn't have the space to raise him at home.
That's what you call throwing mud. Another newspaper has opened a 'Voteline' 'Should Muralitharan be banned from first class cricket?
Why the Aussies are running scared of Muralitharan is the question that Sri Lankans here are seeking an answer.