sri_lion
04-06-2007, 09:45 AM
Shane Warne hurled the ball at Kevin Pietersen's head during the Ashes series and the England batsman threw something back on Tuesday, claiming Muttiah Muralitharan was harder to face than the Australian leg-spinner.
"He's a true great of the game. Muralitharan is the hardest bowler in the world to face, definitely - even more difficult than Warne," Pietersen said.
"Murali spins the ball both ways whereas Warney you can sort of counteract.
"It's just a case of watching the ball, trying to pick him and trying to hit your areas when you're facing Murali because he's a special bowler," added Pietersen in Antigua ahead of England's World Cup Super Eights clashes with Sri Lanka on Wednesday and Australia on Monday.
While test world record-holder Warne has been keen over the years to engage in slanging matches with batsmen, particularly aggressive players like Pietersen, the South African-born Englishman made a pointed reference today to Muralitharan's ability to avoid confrontation.
"Murali doesn't say a lot," Pietersen said of Muralitharan, who has 674 test wickets and is the second-leading wicket-taker in one-dayers with 443, trailing Wasim Akram's 502.
"He just winds you up and winds you up because he knows he's going to get you out.
"He just smiles and laughs.
"He's a really happy guy, a nice guy - I call him the silent assassin - he has so much talk on the cricket ball he doesn't have to say much."
Warne retired in January with 708 test wickets but will play with English county Hampshire again this year, where he has been a team-mate of Pietersen's.
However, the pair are reportedly no longer such great mates following their on-field spat in the Brisbane test in November, when Warne fielded the ball in his follow through and hurled it back at the batsman's head, prompting a "f...... off!" from Pietersen.
Australian paceman Glenn McGrath has invited the cocky Pietersen to take his chances again on Monday after Englishman charged his bowling in a one-day game in Australia last summer and cracking a rib.
"Old KP has felt the force of whit left in me yet," said McGrath, 37, who is set to retire after the tournament.
"He has got the potential to be a great player, there's no doubt about that.
"Time will tell whether he can be or not."
Source: http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/417227/1047343
"He's a true great of the game. Muralitharan is the hardest bowler in the world to face, definitely - even more difficult than Warne," Pietersen said.
"Murali spins the ball both ways whereas Warney you can sort of counteract.
"It's just a case of watching the ball, trying to pick him and trying to hit your areas when you're facing Murali because he's a special bowler," added Pietersen in Antigua ahead of England's World Cup Super Eights clashes with Sri Lanka on Wednesday and Australia on Monday.
While test world record-holder Warne has been keen over the years to engage in slanging matches with batsmen, particularly aggressive players like Pietersen, the South African-born Englishman made a pointed reference today to Muralitharan's ability to avoid confrontation.
"Murali doesn't say a lot," Pietersen said of Muralitharan, who has 674 test wickets and is the second-leading wicket-taker in one-dayers with 443, trailing Wasim Akram's 502.
"He just winds you up and winds you up because he knows he's going to get you out.
"He just smiles and laughs.
"He's a really happy guy, a nice guy - I call him the silent assassin - he has so much talk on the cricket ball he doesn't have to say much."
Warne retired in January with 708 test wickets but will play with English county Hampshire again this year, where he has been a team-mate of Pietersen's.
However, the pair are reportedly no longer such great mates following their on-field spat in the Brisbane test in November, when Warne fielded the ball in his follow through and hurled it back at the batsman's head, prompting a "f...... off!" from Pietersen.
Australian paceman Glenn McGrath has invited the cocky Pietersen to take his chances again on Monday after Englishman charged his bowling in a one-day game in Australia last summer and cracking a rib.
"Old KP has felt the force of whit left in me yet," said McGrath, 37, who is set to retire after the tournament.
"He has got the potential to be a great player, there's no doubt about that.
"Time will tell whether he can be or not."
Source: http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/417227/1047343