The Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) yesterday celebrated Nikita Miller on the occasion of his 100th first-class game.

JCA President Wilford “Billy” Heaven presented the ace spin bowler with a commemorative plaque just before the Windies Championship game between the Jamaica Scorpions and Barbados Pride commenced at Sabina Park.

“Nikita Miller is a stalwart of Jamaican cricket for many years; he’s served as captain and lead the team in various ways. His records are a testament to the strength of his technical abilities. Nikita’s body of work serves as motivation to bowlers across the region. Today we laud him on achieving this milestone, a journey which has been decorated with numerous magnificent performances,” said Heaven.

Sharing the occasion was JCA CEO Courtney Francis, who says Miller is part of a special group of players.

“Only some of the best cricketers achieve this milestone. Having represented Jamaica at this level and performed admirably throughout his career, I would say puts him comfortably in Jamaica’s top ten cricketers,” said Francis.

The left-arm orthodox spinner, who made his first-class debut in January 2005 against the Leeward Islands in Jamaica, has gone on to claim 532 wickets in 99 matches; these include 36 five-wicket hauls and on 12 occasions he’s claimed 10 wickets in a game.

Nikita says his fondest first-class memory is a 10-wicket haul against Trinidad and Tobago at Sabina Park in the final of the Carib Challenge in April 2008. Jamaica won the encounter by nine wickets, where Miller got 5-29 in the first innings then 5-92 in the second.

“It was my first five-wicket haul and then I followed it up with five more in the second innings, so I ended the game with ten. It was special because going into that game I trailed (Amit) Jaggernauth by about nine wickets, but the (Jamaica) team got together and said they were going to make me the number one wicket-taker in the regional competition. I ended up winning the Courtney Walsh Award by one wicket, I’ll never forget that,” said Miller.

The man, who is fondly referred to as “Killer” by teammates, represents the Melbourne Cricket Club. He credits the lessons learned from his early cricketing days in St Elizabeth as a crucial part of his current success.

“I got a very good start at STETHS through coach Junior Bennett and Dr Donovan Bennett. The foundations were set there for a very good career. At the club level there was the late Colin Fletcher and former Scorpions coach Robert Samuels, among many others. I learned confidence and how to be mentally strong. These are things which are now a part of me on and off the field,” Miller noted.