World’s top bowler ‘Murali’ Won OBSERVER Schoolboy Cricketer Award in 1991

by Lieslie FERNANDO

CRICKET: Muttiah Muralitharan is one of the most successful bowlers in the game. He is the greatest player in Sri Lanka’s cricket history was the first schoolboy cricketer from St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota to win coveted Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year award in 1991. He is right now on top of the world with 770 Text wickets, going past Australian Shane Warne who had 708 wickets.

Murali - the former champion bowler of St.Anthony’s Katugastota.

His team mate Sajith Fernando and captain of Katugastota side won the prestigious award in 1992. ‘Murali’ is one cricketer who really stands out from the rest and continues to show his class in the game of cricket.

The 1991 award winner climbed the ladder of success in inter-club and international cricket after his many attractive feats with the ball during the inter-school cricket seasons at St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota.

He was picked Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year by the panel of umpires. He was also picked as the Best Bowler, too, that year. Winning the coveted award opened up a big future for him in cricket.

Speaking about cricket in general, ‘Murali’ appreciated much of the efforts of the organisers of the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest as this contest gave the cricketers much needed enthusiasm to do well and be recognised.

The Contest which started in 1978, proved to be one of the eagerly looked forward to contests in the country for 30 years. “I am indeed happy that this contest has gone on for such a long time.

This contest has given the schoolboys all the encouragement.” He added that he was happy with the growth of school cricket in the island. There are many outstation schools in the game now and that shows the game has got a firm footing in the island. The competition like the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year and Outstation Contests will encourage the young cricketers to work harder for the greater glory of the school and the country, the former Antoniam star bowler said.

The new sponsor of the show SLT Mobitel’s presence would further strengthen the show which has recognised schoolboys, talent over the years said Murali.

The fine feats in bowling at inter-school level by Murali was duly recognised by the selectors in the Cricket Board then. After some fine bowling performances against the Australian Academy team and England ‘A’ early in the year 1992, Muralitharan was the only new face in the 16-strong Sri Lanka cricket team that was picked to tour England in July 1992.

The Sri Lanka team that year made interesting reading; Roshan Mahanama (CCC), Chandika Hathurusinghe (Tamil Union), Brendon Kuruppu (BRC), Aravinda de Silva (NCC), Asanka Gurusingha (NCC), Marvan Atapattu (SSC), Sanath Jayasuriya (CCC), Rumesh Ratnayake (NCC), Champaka Ramanayaka (Tamil Union) Kapila Wijegunawardena (NCC), Saliya Ahangam (SSC), Ranjith Madurusinghe (Kurunegela YCC), Don Anurasiri (Panadura SC), Muttiah Muralitharan (Tamil Union), Hashan Tillekeratne (NCC), Romesh Kaluwitharana (BRC).

The selection of 18 year-old Muralitharan was seen by the selectors as a future bowler who did his country proud by hitting the top in a short period of time.

Muralitharan’s rise from humble beginnings, being the son of a hill-country confectioner to the top of the wicket takers list in Test cricket, has made the cricket world to talk about him.

His career has been beset with controversy from the start. Suspicions about his action were whispered soon after his debut against the Australians in 1993 and then aired freely after he was called for throwing while touring Australia in 1995-96, first in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne by Darrel Hair and later in the one-day series that followed. However, the ICC has now cleared him of all charges.However the mastering of his doosra, has made ‘Murali’ the talk of the cricket world. On the field ‘Murali’ continued to pile up the wickets overtaking Courteny Walsh’s 519-wicket world record to become the highest wicket taker in Test history in May 2004.

Technology salvaged reputation

It is unlikely that Muralitharan’s career will ever be controversy-free and he accepts this. But, the rapid progress of technology and sports science in the past decade has undoubtedly salvaged his reputation.

He continues to pick wickets by the ‘bucket load’ although many large hauls have come against the two weakest nations Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. However, he kept his stunning efforts for the big boys like his duel with the Australians in 2004 and his eight-wicket haul at Treant Bridge in 2006 which produced a famous series levelling encounter against England.Muralitharan picked up 23 wickets in the 2007 World Cup, though Sri Lanka were unable to repeat their 1996 final win against Australia. Muralitharan has continued to be among the wicket and has a total of 770 test wickets.