Top Antonian cricketers have served the country well

By hafiz Marikar

Inter-school cricket: St. Anthony's College, a school which reached the top in the field of cricket at one time, they have not only produced several champion teams but also produced some of the finest cricketers who have done the school, Kandy and the country proud. The best out of all is the world's top class spinner and the highest wicket taker Muttiah Muralatharan and in the mid 1920's they had a great batsmen by the name of Jack Anderson.

It is said that Jack Anderson who played from 1916 to 1920, which had been their golden years of cricket. It was called the Anderson era because he was hero of almost every game that was played in those days. Jack Anderson had been a fearless batsman his keen and quick judgment, his exceptional wrist work helped him to defy any form of attack. In 1917, he had scored 141 v Royal, 62 vs. Wesley, 66 vs. S. Thomas', 184 vs. St Joseph's, 102 vs. St. Benedict's, that year he had three centuries including a record of the highest individual score of 184 runs. 16 not out vs Trinity.

In 1918 he created two records, the first being 291 runs against S.Thomas', which included seven sixes and fifty four boundaries, and the second was scoring five successive centuries. It's great of this batsman to have achieved the records in an era when cricket did not have facilities of today. He is the batsman who scored the first century at Trinity College Grounds Asgiriya.

Greatest cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan

The greatest cricketer of this school is Muttiah Muralitharan, is the cricketer who was rated the greatest bowler in Tests. He retired from Test cricket in 2010, registering his 800th and final wicket on 22 July 2010 from his final ball in his last Test match.

Murali, as he is popularly called, played for the Antonians in all age groups and for the seniors from 1990 to 1992, at junior level he was shone the correct way by two old Antonians _ Sunil Fernando and Lakshman Panditharathne, at school twice he passed the 100 wicket mark.

At Test level, he showed that he was the best when he took the wicket of Gautam Gambhir on 5th February 2009 in Colombo, which helped him to surpass Wasim Akram's ODI record of 501 wickets. He became the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket when he overtook the previous record-holder Shane Warne on 3rd December 2007.

In February 2009, after becoming cricket's highest wicket-taker in both forms of the game, Muttiah Muralitharan announced his retirement at the conclusion of the 2011 World Cup.

These two great Antonian cricketers, greatness and the sprit should encourage the present Antonian cricketers and the generations to come.

Sad to say, in the last couple of years, Antonian cricket was not what it should be. Now they have been demoted to Division II,

something may be wrong somewhere, even this time there was delay in picking up the leader, and most of the schools have played three games, but the Antonians played their first game last Friday against Wesley College. Their old boys cricket wing gives them a good backing and oldboys look into needs of the players, and what the authorities must do is get the correct people to handle cricket and bring back the game to where it was in the early days.

Top cricketers

Among the Antonians who donned the Sri Lanka pads were A.C.M Laffir, Saliya Dorenagama, Mahesh Gunatileke, Bernard Perera, Marlon Von Hagt, Ruwan Kalpage, Muttiah Muralitharan are the names that comes to mind in a flash.

Cricket being the limelight and popular, the others who did well at cricket were, Victor Fernando, L.V. Jayaweera, E. Agunawella, Wijepala Premaratne first Antonian schoolboy cricketer in 1956, V.Rosayro, R.Wright, Burke brothers Ralston and Franklyn, Hugh Fernando, Jayantha Mownekulama, Angelo Liyanage, Bedie Perera, Rangth Peries, Ranjith Dorenegama, Rangith Samarasekara, Lakshman Denipitiya, T.O.M. Deen, Sunil Fernando, Lakshman Pandtharathne, Dunuwlle brothers Meryl and Pradeep, Kevin and Shane Balthazar, Jayantha Udukumbura, C.P.P.Raj, Harin Jayasundara, Fazal Majeed, Christopher, Randy and Miles, Ruwan and Nuwan Kalpage, Piyal Wijetunge, Amedha Elelpola, Daminda Kolugala Sanjeewa Naranpanawa, Asela Hearth, Umesh and Suresh de Alwis, Sajith Fernando, Daminda Kolugolla, Sanjeewa Naranpanawa, Sapumal Hearthge.

Coming on to present day cricket, the Antonian side looks good and formidable and they have the service of nearly six of last season players to available and if they are guided in the way on the correct path they are sure to give off their best. So, it is up to coach Tharaka Gunaratne who played for the Antonians with success, is going all-out to put things in order. This is his second year in the job.

Buwaneke Wijetunge - the captain

The mantle of leadership has fallen on the shoulders of Buwaneke Wijetunge who is a good allronder. He is not only a fine leg spinner but also a sound attacking batsman. His deputy is D. Bandara, another good cricketer, who is a stylish right hand batsman and a talented off spinner.

Then the other batsman in the side are: there is Damithra Panditharatne, a senior player in the side, is a technically correct batsman from whom much can be expected. Last season, Panditharatne scored over 550 runs.

Then there is Pullasathi Bandara _ another good allrounder cricketer. There is also K. Ugalpaya.

Fighting for places in the team are Mohamed Alfer, Uditha Mahindaratne, Kavindu Yapa Bandara, Dilan Jayarthne, Sumera Jayasinghe, Nimesh Wanasinghe, Dilanka Wijarthne, Chalana Salgado.

The Antonians main game is the big match against Trinity College.

The Antonians are the hosts and the one-day game will be played at Trinity College Stadium.