Legendary Antonian Cricketers ACM Lafeer and Ronnie Stephens were an outstanding opening pair during their school days and are best known for producing a record first wicket partnership of 276 against Trinity College,Kandy in their 37th Big Match in 1954. In that match Lafeer scored 170 while Stephens contributed 107.
Lafeer was not only a great cricketer but also an outstanding soccer player who represented Phoenix Soccer Club as a left extreme. He played for Kandy United and had the privilege of representing the country against the visiting Ted Dexter’s XI under the captaincy of CI Gunasekera. He scored 84 in his first match as a school boy and made centuries against all the leading clubs in Sri lanka to have a tally of 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 Lafeer scored an unbeaten 206 representing Kandy United against Saracens. At that time he did not know of the record score of 237 made by Makin Sally of Moors Sports Club and his captain Hugh Fernando declared the Innings.
But Lafeer 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.
Ronnie Stephens scored 135 against St.Benedict’s when he was only 14 years old and was the only player from St. Anthony’s College to score two hundreds against Trinity in their big match.
TB Werapitiya of Trinity College also recorded two centuries against St. Anthony’s in the big match series.