Sri Lanka cricket icon pays tribute to Catholic education
(July 24, 2010) Sri Lankan cricket star Muthiah Muralitharan has paid tribute to
his Catholic education after ending a glorious test career, becoming the first bowler
in history to take 800 test wickets. “I was blessed with excellent priests, teachers
and coaches,” said Muralitharan said after helping his team beat India by 10 wickets
in Galle, Sri Lanka, on Thursday. The combination of playing cricket and studying
hard at St. Anthony’s College, in Kandy put him in good stead for his future cricketing
career, the off-spinner and national icon told Ucanews. Muralitharan, 38, is a Tamil
Hindu but his father was determined to send him and his three brothers to a Christian
school. “Christian schools provide better education, sports and moral development,”
said his father, Sinnathambi Muthiah. Muralitharan was sent to St. Anthony’s, a boarding
school, where his cricketing skills grew and flourished. It was also where Muralitharan
developed a strong character and learned to take knocks in his stride. These lessons
were to serve him well during his career, especially when he was accused of an illegal
bowling action. He was later cleared. Muralitharan needed eight wickets in his
final test to reach 800, which he did in the second innings after having tailender
Pragyan Ojha caught at slip by Mahela Jayawardene.