Aravinda de Silva reflects on the career of record-breaking retiree Muttiah Muralidaran
"He will be impossible to replace in the side," says the former Sri Lanka captain
Jason Gillespie gives India home advantage but tips Australia to retain the ICC Cricket World Cup
Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara looks back on his country's 1996 World Cup victory
Podcast available for free download and editorial use from www.icc-cricket.com
On this week's ICC Cricket World audio show former Sri Lanka captain Aravinda de Silva reflects on the retirement of record-breaking former team-mate Muttiah Muralidaran and the void that will be created in the Test side following his departure.
"I think the team will have a big void that will need to be filled with the departure of Muralidaran. He is the kind of a guy who will come through once in a generation and it's difficult to find anyone comparable to him. But in time, we will find someone to fill his shoes in the spin bowling department," says the former Sri Lanka captain.
"On the field, he gave hundred per cent and he's a tremendous guy off the field. He was a fantastic sportsman and supported all his team-mates on the field and I think that's something all senior players should take as a piece of advice from him, to be behind your team mates one hundred per cent," says de Silva.
Also on this week's show, former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie reflects on his most memorable ICC Cricket World Cup matches and discusses which team will be the one to win in 2011 in the Asian sub-continent.
"I think my most memorable World Cup match has to be Australia's win over India in 2003 in Johannesburg. I felt the first innings score of over 350 was just amazing.
"Also against South Africa in 1999 when Damien Fleming rolled the ball down the wicket to tie the match was great too," says Gillespie.
"Looking ahead at 2011, I think India will have a home advantage and I think the conditions will suit it but I still think Australia dominates the 50-over format and it will win the 2011 tournament," says the former fast bowler.
The show can be used in whole or part by radio stations that want cricket content, while the public can also download it straight from the ICC website at http://www.icc-cricket.com/media_interactive_zone/podcast.php.
Also on this week's show Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara reflects what the World Cup victory in 1996 means to him.
"I was watching the World Cup final at home and I know that when we won the final it inspired me to take up cricket seriously and make a career from it. At the same time I think the generation that watched it was inspired to play more cricket and it made cricket a more professional sport in Sri Lanka," says the left-handed batsman.
Apart from the above interviews, the show has the usual round up of cricketing news and an update of the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test and ODI cricket.
The weekly ICC Cricket World audio show runs for 15 minutes and has been put together by the ICC's global broadcast partner ESPN STAR Sports.
