100 wickets and 1000 runs

The 2018/2019 cricket season will go down in the Antonian history as the year that brought us back to where we belong – Division One, after lingering in the lower division for five long years. This season will also be remembered for two brilliant individual performances, with Nimnaka Jayathilake and Theeksha Gunasinghe reaching the most coveted milestones of 100 wickets and 1000 runs respectively.

NIMNAKA (100 wickets) - Following a fantastic debut season with 95 wickets last year, Nimnaka went a step further this year, becoming the fourth Antonian (fifth occasion) to reach the 100-wicket milestone after Muralitharan (1990 and 1991), Sajith Fernando (1992) and Aravinda Premaratne (2011) to achieve this feat. The unlucky Piyal Wijetunge narrowly missed this milestone on two occasions, 94 scalps in 1988 and 91 scalps in 1990, as he had to compete for wickets with Ruwan Kalpage and Murali in these two seasons. Nimnaka captured 123 wickets this season in 17 games with five 10-wicket hauls, two 9-wicket bags and an incredible fifteen five-fers. Murali holds the record for SACK with 127 wickets (16 matches) in 1991, claiming ten-wicket match bags on 6 occasions.

Although Nimnaka has played against division 2 sides, his wicket split between so-called traditional versus tournament games is fairly even. 64 of his 123 wickets were taken in 9 matches against the traditional schools with the best of 12/83 (6/53 and 6/30) vs Royal, 12/109 (5/66, 7/43) vs St Joseph’s Colombo, 10/126 (5/51, 5/75) vs St Benedict’s, 5/57 vs Trinity, 5/32 vs St Sebastian’s, 5/48 and 4/34 vs Vidyartha. His remaining two 10-wicket bags came against St Peter’s Negombo (10/84 - 4/43 and 6/42) and in the semi-finals against Piliyandala MMV (10/120 - 6/54 and 4/66), the game that elevated us to Division 1.

Nimnaka’s five 10-wicket hauls, following his four such bags last year, has taken his tally in school cricket to nine 10-wicket hauls, which equals the legendary Muralitharan’s Antonian record. With three more seasons to go, the sky is the limit for this little wonder boy.

THEEKSHA (1000 runs) – Despite the pressures of being captain cum wicket-keeper, Theeksha Gunasinghe displayed wonderful temperament and exquisite strokeplay to reach the 1000 run milestone this season. He became the eleventh Antonian (14th occasion) to achieve this feat and only the second wicket-keeper after Mahesh Gunathileke in 1971. The others on the list are Jack Anderson (1918), ACM Lafir (1954), Marlon Von Hagt (1982, 1983), Damien Nadaraja (1987), Nuwan Kalpage (1990), Sajith Fernando (1991), Samson Burke (2001), Tyrone de Silva (2003) and Hiran Wickremasekera (2009, 2010, 2011).

The left-handed Theeksha scored 1050 runs in 22 innings (4 not outs) at an impressive average of 58.3, scoring three centuries, against St Joseph’s College (142), St Peter’s Negombo (111) and SDs Jayasinghe MMV (101). He has also notched up 5 fifties (53 vs Taxila, 68 vs Ananda, 85 vs Asoka Vidyalaya, 54 vs Kingswood and 66 vs Royal) and five other scores of over 40 to swell his tally towards the 1000 run mark. Combined 100 wickets and 1000 runs in one season – Nimnaka and Theeksha’s combined feat has only been achieved on three previous occasions in the annals of Antonian history. Nuwan Kalpage and Murali (1990), Sajith Fernando and Murali (1991) and Hiran Wickremasekera and Aravinda Premaratne (2011) were the three previous pairs to bring glory with bat and ball. Sajith Fernando has the unique record of being the only player to feature in both lists, having scored 1000 runs in 1991 followed by 100 wickets in 1992 with his off-spin.

Combined 100 wickets and 1000 runs in one season – Nimnaka and Theeksha’s combined feat has only been achieved on three previous occasions in the annals of Antonian history. Nuwan Kalpage and Murali (1990), Sajith Fernando and Murali (1991) and Hiran Wickremasekera and Aravinda Premaratne (2011) were the three previous pairs to bring glory with bat and ball. Sajith Fernando has the unique record of being the only player to feature in both lists, having scored 1000 runs in 1991 followed by 100 wickets in 1992 with his off-spin.

1000 runs per season – These three players have collectively achieved this feat on six occasions. From left, Hiran Wickremasekera (three times), Marlon Von Hagt (twice) and Tyrone De Silva (once) pictured above at the OBA Big Match in Melbourne in 2018.