SM Jiffrey Abdeen: Murali did not forget coach and school (6 Sep 1998)

6 September 1998

Murali did not forget coach and school

By S M Jiffrey Abdeen

Despite his meteoric rise to fame, the world's best spinner presently occupying the top slot in the CEAT cricket rankings, Muttiah Muralitharan did not forget his cricket coach Sunil Fernando and he honoured him by presenting Fernando with a cheque for Rs. 50,000 at the reception held at the St. Anthony's College Hall on Friday.

Filled with emotion and his heart exuding gratitude and tear-filled eyes he made a glowing tribute to Sunil Fernando who nurtured him and encouraged him to switch from fast bowling to spin bowling and helped to master this art first in the backyard of his coach's home. If not for Sunil Fernando's timely intervention to take up to spin bowling, Muttiah Muralitharan may have been lost to the cricket world and we would have never seen his prodigious spin. By this act, Muralitharan also let the world know who his real coach.

Sunil Fernando, a quiet and unassuming man, wept and hugged the cricket star as he had produced a star who is occupying the brightest spot in the cricket galaxy.

Muralitharan did not forget his school too, and he presented St. Anthony's with a handsome donation for the development of cricket and this was accepted by the Principal of the school Rev. Fr. Hilarian Fernando.

The school on its part, honoured Muralitharan by presenting him the 'Super Eagle' which is the highest award in school.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)