Murali stuck on with the Antonians

by S.M. Jiffrey ABDEEN - Kandy Sports Corr.

CRICKET: "I gave Muthiah Muralitharan an extra year when he was at the peak of his school career to develop his cricketing talents and this was of course done in a legitimate manner and that year he captured 129 wickets", said the former Principal/Rector of St.Anthony's College, Kandy Rev. Fr. Stephen Abrahams.

Fr. Abrahams said that when Muralitharan had finished with his G.C.E. Ordinary Level he had three options to continue his cricket at school level. First he was to sit for his Ordinary Level examination again and obtain the required credits to follow the Science Course or follow the Commerce or Arts Advanced Level Classes in the Sinhala medium (as St.Anthony's College did not have this course in the Tamil medium at that time). The other option was join another school in Kandy where there was Commerce or Arts classes in the Tamil Medium and continue his cricket. The only other school was Trinity College where he promised to help in the admission.

But Muralitharan was adamant and loyal to his alma mater where he had been from year one. He said 'no way sir', will remain at St.Anthony's College and finish off my school career. Thus he had to be registered in the Commerce class in the Sinhala medium to regularise his stay in school but he spent most of his time in the school library and helped the coach Sunil Fernando in coaching the youngsters.

Muralitharan was a dedicated boy and his goal was to come out best in whatever he did. Apart from cricket, he was a good ruggerite and basketball player. But we discouraged him from playing rugby as we all knew that a star was born and an injury to him could create problem to his cricketing skills.

He said during his school days Muralitharan was ever smiling and was a team man and others listened to him. At that time he was a good batsman and also an excellent fielder and he hardly ever missed a catch or allowed a ball to go past him. That was Murali the idol of the Antonian crowds. When ran to deliver the ball he puts a smile which could be deceptive and when he delivers the ball it is with all venom and the batsman is the victim. No wonder he was nicknamed the "Smiling assassin".

Rev. Fr. Stephen Abrahams said that he joined St. Anthony's College as its Principal the same year Muralitharan joined the school. Two years after Murali's departure, he too retired from the school. Therefore during his entire school career, Murali was under him.

In 1990, the Antonians played their limited over 'Big match' against Trinity and there was a ball by ball commentary on the match. The commentators were having a tough time in pronouncing Muralitharan's name. They said 'Mudali' or 'Mudalitharan', some thing like that. He had to correct them by asking them to just call him 'Murali'.

Fr. Stephen Abraham - a living legend

Rev. Fr. Stephen Abraham is a living legend and was a strict disciplinarian and during his Principalship both studies and sports at school was at a satisfying standard.

They became school cricket champions and produced a number of cricketers to the national team. In one test against South Africa, two Antonians _ namely Muralitharan, Ruwan Kalpage were playing together and there were two others namely Sajith Fernando and Nuwan Kalpage were knocking at the door and all were spinners and only 11 could play.

Fr.Stephen Abrahams affectionately known as Fr. Stephens was not only revered but also adored by the Antonians and the public for his outspokeness and the way he handled matters. He hardly ever taxed the parents but all the school activities blossomed during his Principalship, when he retired, he said that there was bank balance of Rs. 2 million which was due to careful management of the funds.

Rev. Fr. Stephens is now 78 years old but looks a lot more younger and lives in retirement at the hostel for retired priests after a short spell at Montefarno.