SUCH is the stigma attached to bowlers who throw, if stocks were still available we would probably fasten "chuckers" into them and pelt them with cricket balls.

After the furore over Muralitharan, now another poor little Sri Lankan is getting it in the neck, although he might make way for Murali in the next Test.

Had Murali played at Lord's we would have been utterly stuffed, but instead there was a big outcry over the legitimacy of Ruchira Perera's action after his three wickets helped to enforce an embarrassing follow-on.

When I saw Perera at Chester-le-Street a fortnight ago my impression was that he probably chucked one or two, but in any case he was nowhere near Test class.

He certainly shouldn't be getting England batsmen out on a flat pitch at Lord's, and it is highly likely that the repeated action replays which accompanied his success led to the questioning of his action. This is perfectly justified if it is felt that the balls which cause problems are the ones he throws.

Some people are not averse to whipping up a media frenzy, and after Channel 4 commentator Dermot Reeve pointed the finger even responsible newspapers like The Sunday Times devoted acres of newsprint to the topic, which is all rather sad in view of recent relations between England and Sri Lanka.

By reputation, the Sri Lankans are the most affable of people, but they had a headstrong cricket captain in Arjuna Ranatunga, who led his team off the field when Murali was called for chucking against England three winters ago.

Things have since been pretty fraught, but after we had finally condescended to grant the Sri Lankans more than a one-off Test in this country Nasser Hussain and Sanath Jarasuriya were determined the series would be played in a good spirit.

And then this happens, so now we wait on tenterhooks to see whether Ruchira plays in the second Test at Edgbaston next Thursday.

HOW heart-warming that Michael Vaughan should strike a blow for the right-handers with his century in the first Test, and how odd that his Australian captain should not see fit to let him open the innings for Yorkshire on Wednesday.

I could almost understand it had Darren Lehmann sent in a couple of left-handers in an era when they are increasingly dominant in cricket, but still almost invisible in golf.

Seven of the Sri Lankans at Lord's batted left-handed, three bowled left-arm seam, while England had Butcher, Trescothick and Thorpe making runs but were foolish enough to leave out Giles.

The Australians' heaviest current run scorers are Hayden, Gilchrist and Langer, while Lehmann and Bevan help to give them a formidable battery of one-day left-handers.

There is a theory that left-handers hold an advantage in moving ball sports such as cricket and tennis because they have superior hand-eye co-ordination. This obviously doesn't apply in golf, which is why Phil Mickelson still hasn't won a major.

COLIN Montgomerie hasn't won a major either, but at least he gives the impression he'll never stop trying.

Given their respective play-off records - Monty has never won one, Tiger has never lost one - it was fairly predictable who would win in Germany on Monday.

But it was a huge testament to Monty's will to win that he defied his back problem and turned up. He had apparently not been to bed for fear of not being able to get out of it, as happened once before.

Let's hope if he finds himself in a play-off for next month's US Open, he's up against Mickelson and not Woods.

AS we count down the days to the World Cup and wonder whether Kieron Dyer will be fit to make an impact, a lot of North-East fans will recall how four years ago Juninho was in a similar position.

After the tears he shed following Boro's relegation in 1997, he crumpled under a fierce tackle playing for Atletico Madrid three months before France '98.

By the time the deadline arrived he felt he was fit, but the Brazil coach felt otherwise, bringing more heartbreak.

Now 29, Juninho is in Brazil's 23 for Korea and Japan and there will be plenty of people on Teesside and beyond hoping for glimpses of the old magic.

ROB Andrew says he is in favour of the Zurich Championship play-offs, but he might not be in favour of both finalists qualifying for the Heineken European Cup if Bristol win their semi-final at home to Northampton on June 1.

That would mean Bristol edging Andrew's Newcastle team out of the Heineken event, and despite finishing eighth in the Premiership, Bristol could become England's top seeds in Europe if they went on to win the play-offs and Leicester lost tomorrow's Heineken final against Munster.

This is plainly ludicrous, and considering the poor attendances for the play-off matches it's time they were deemed a step too far in an already overcrowded season

Published: 24/05/2002