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Cricket,' I gave Muthiah Muralitharan an extra year when he was at the peak of his career to develop his cricketing talents and this of course was done in a legitimate and that year he captured 129 wickets', said former Prinipal /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 had to sit the G.C.E ordinary level exams
again and obtain the required credits to follow the Science course
or follow the Commerce or Arts advanced level classes in Sinhala
(as St Anthony's College didn't have this course in Tamil at that time).The other option was to join another school in Kandy where there was Commerce and Arts classes in the Tamil Medium and continue his cricket.The only other school
was Trinty College where he offered to help with the admission

But Muralitharan was adamant and loyal to his alma mater where he had been from year one.He said 'no way Sir', I will stay in 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 be
best in whatever he did.Apart from cricket, he was a good
ruggerite and basketball player.We discouraged him from playing rugby as we all knew a star was born and an injury to him could create problems to his cricketing skills.

He said during his schools days Muralitharan was ever smilin and was a team man and others listened to him.At that time he was a good batsman and an excellent fielder and he hardly ever missed a catch or allowed a ball to go past him.That was Murali the idol to the Antonian crowds.When he ran to deliver the ball he puts a smile
which would be deceptive and when delivers a ball it is with all venom and the batsman is the victim.No wonder he was nicknamed
'the smiling assasin'.
Rev. Fr.Stephen Abrahams said that he joined St.Anthony's College the same year Muralitharan joined the school.Two years after Muralithara's departure he too retired from school.Therefore during
his entire school career, Murali was under him.

In 1990, the Antonian's played their limited over 'Big Match'
against Trinty and there was a ball by ball commentary on the match.The commentators were having a tough time pronouncing Muralithara's name.They said Mudali or Mudalithara, or something like that.He had to correct them by asking them to just call him 'Murali'.
Rev. Fr. Stephen Abraham was a living legend and a strict discipli-
natrian during his Principalship.Both, studies and sports was at
satisfying standard.
They became school cricket champions and produced many and produced a number of players to the national team.
In one test against South Africa, two Antonians - namely Muralithara and Ruwan Kalpage were playing together and there others namely Sujth Fernando and Nuwan Kalpage were knocking at the door and all were spinners and only eleven could play.

Rev. Fr.Stephen Abrahams affectionately known as Fr.Stephens,was
not only Revered but also adored by Antoniasn 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 there was a bank balance of two million Rupees which careful management of the funds.
Rev. Fr.Stephen Abrahams is 78 years old and looks a lot more
younger and lives in retirement at a hostel for retired Priests,
after a short spell at Monte Farno.