Legendary Antonians Lafir and Stephens receive the bows

by Upananda Jayasundera

Legendary Antonian cricketers ACM Lafir and Ronnie Stephens who produced a record opening partnership of 276 runs against Trinity College in their 37th 'Big Match' in 1954 were felicitated by the Antonian Oldies of the sixties on July 25. In the epic partnership, Lafir's score was 170 while Stephens contributed 107.

The function was held at the Hotel Thilanka, Kandy and over 150 old boys participated. Among them were Dr. Jayampathi Wickremaratne, Asoka Ratnaweera (rtd DIG) Nimal Weliamuna, Leo Kurukulaarachchi, Senaka Rajapakse, Lionel Wickrema (actor), Kumaratissa Kankanamge, Basil Harley and the Vanculenburg brothers Gerry, Aloy and Maxwell.

Lafir in his lengthy speech paid gratitude to his former coach John Halangoda and also to the former principal of St. Anthony's College, Fr Rosathi and prefect of games Fr Mackey. Ronnie Stephens scored 135 runs against St. Benedict's when he was only 14 years old and was the only Antonian to score two hundreds against Trinity College in their big match.

TB Werapitiya of Trinity College also recorded two centuries against St. Anthony's in the big match series.

Lafir was not only a great cricketer but also an outstanding soccer player who represented Phoenix Soccer Club as a left extreme.

Lafir played for Kandy United and had the privilege of representing the country against the visiting Ted Dexter's XI under the captaincy of C.I. Gunasekera. He scored 84 in his first match as a schoolboy. He also scored centuries against all the leading clubs in Sri Lanka to have a tally of over 50 centuries including two tons for Sri Lanka in the Gopalan Trophy match against India in 1956 and 1958.

The highest individual score at that time was 237 and Lafir scored an unbeaten 206 representing Kandy United against Saracens. At the time he did not know the record score of 237 made by Makin Sally of Moors Sports Club and his captain Hugh Fernando declared the innings.

But Lafir scored an unbeaten 278 to establish the highest score against the University team while representing Nomads. At that time the University team was captained by Mevan Peiris.

In his felicitation speech Asoka Ratnaweera said he was told that when Lafir and Stephens were batting, the merchants in the Katugastota market closed shop to watch the matches as was the case with government servants in and around Kandy.

Ratnaweera being a fine all-rounder took this correspondent's wicket (caught and bowled) when he was representing Dharmaraja against St. Anthony's for 70 in a match in 1965.

The two great Antonian cricketers were awarded mementos on the occasion.