Cricket: `Teams were at each other's throats'

Your conduct today has been appalling for a country's captain - Alex Stewart, the England captain, to his Sri Lankan counterpart, Arjuna Ranatunga.

Incidents took place but they were not of a serious nature. It was the heat of the moment. As far as I was concerned Arjuna Ranatunga conducted himself with decorum - Ranjit Fernando, Sri Lankan team manager.

The teams were at each others throats at times - Stewart.

That it is the least enjoyable game of cricket I have ever been involved in and I know that is a view shared by all those in my team - Stewart.

You've got to avoid being sucked into an incident; as a professional you've got to keep control of your emotions because, as a result of that, you play better cricket - David Graveney, England tour manager.

It's one man's moment of glory. The whole thing is out of hand. Here we have a club cricketer Emerson, the man who is telling the ICC throwing committee that they don't know what they are talking about - Ian Botham.

Never in its 122 years of existence has Australian umpiring stood lower than it did last night - commentator Peter Roebuck.

Everyone has just had enough of it [Muralitharan's controversial bowling action]. It has been festering for far too long - Mark Taylor, Australia's Test captain.

We do know what he's [Muralitharan] going through, it's like he's a criminal. It's not fair what people are doing to him. We can't go on like this, it's a torture for this boy - Thilanga Sumathipala, Sri Lankan chairman.

I can't see how anybody has any doubt about his action. Who is controlling the game? The ICC or a few umpires? If a few individuals feel they're above the game it's a bad day for cricket - Sumathipala.

The public humiliation of umpires or players occurs only in media reports. The umpire's job is to enforce the laws of the game. It's made more difficult by the fact that people want to bring emotion into it. It's a no-ball and doesn't conform to the rules of the game - Bob Simpson, former ICC match referee, who reported Muralitharan's bowling action two years ago.