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by Supun Perera

The name Percy Abeysekara is a household name among all our cricket lovers. He may not be a great bowler, batsman or fielder, but he supersedes all at times as the "One man cheering squad" which is quite unparalleled. Win or lose does not matter for this cheerful figure as he continues to have the lion flag fluttering holding sway among other supporters.

Percy Abeysekara, who happens to be the public relations officer of a leading trading company, ACL Cables, the pioneer cable manufacturers in Sri Lanka where he has served for 40 years, is affectionately known as `Percy' in cricketing circles. His name is synonymous with most every international cricket fixture involving Sri Lanka. Particularly so after we gained ICC status. In fact, way back in 1979 when the World Cup was held in England which is also the period that Sri Lanka gained full ICC membership, Percy Abeysekara was present in London to extend his brand of moral support to the players along with the Sri Lankan expatriate community there.

Born on July 30, 1936 Walimuni Percy Gimson Abeysekara attended Richmond College, Galle for a very short period before branching to St. Aloysius College to pursue his Ordinary Level Examination before joining Aquinas College. He remembers contemporaries Michael Roberts, Rhodes scholar, and seniors such as Cyril Ponnamperuma, one of the finest products of St. Aloysius and later of St. Joseph's College, Colombo, messrs, R. I. T. Alles, the well known educationist (founder principal of D. S. Senanayake Vidyalaya), N. U. Jayawardena, former governor of the Central Bank and Prof. Sultan Bawa. At Aquinas he was privileged of associating with Tyronne Fernando who is the Minister of Foreign Affairs and one time chief of the BCCSL, Vasudeva Nanayakkara and the late Kumar Ponnambalam and Sunil Silva (Ex Solicitor General).

Percy Abeysekara is a born cricket lover. He played cricket from the age of 11 at St. Aloysius and at Aquinas in Div. III `Daily News Trophy' cricket. He was a left hand bat and right arm leg spin bowler and went on to develop a liking from his childhood days for overseas cricketing greats such as Sir Don Bradman, Neil Harvey (Australia), Sir Len Hutton, Wally Hammond (England), George Headley, Learry Constantine and Sir Garfield Sobers (West Indies), Lala Amaranath, Vijay Merchant (India), Hanif Mohammed, Fazal Mohammed (Pakistan) Hugh Tayfield, Cheetham and Maclean (South Africa) and John Reed, Birt Sutcliffe (New Zealand). Among the Sri Lankan cricketers of yester year, Percy rates Mahadevan Sathasivam as the best. Besides him, F. C. De Saram, Sargo Jayawickrama, Malcolm Spittel, D. S. Jayasundara, Fairlie Dalpathado, C. I. Gunasekara, Lucian De Zoysa, Mahes Rodrigo, and two county professionals Laddie Outschoorn Worcestershire and Dr. C. H. Gunasekara (Middlesex). The greatest knock I have seen was from C. I. Gunasekara at the Sara Stadium. He blastered 24 runs in one over from the famous Australian spinner Lindsay Kline," recalled Percy of the good old days.

His love for cricket was such that he failed the Advanced Level Examination" reminisced the old campaigner with the flag `because in 1959 I preferred to see C. I. Gunasekera's knock against Tamilnadu at the Sara Stadium'.

In that match `C.I.' as the hard hitting batsman was known, struck a blistering unbeaten 150 for then Ceylon in Gopalan Trophy. It was one of the best moments in my life in in watching the game C. I. Gunasekera is no doubt the hardest hitter I have seen so far", marvels Percy yet.

And Percy has not lost his old touch. Going on 70 he keeps both players and spectators alive with his fine eloquence imbibing a rare wit. Recalled the doyen with the flag, "In 1972 when the Australian under-19 team toured Sri Lanka the first two three-day games were drawn in our favour. In the third and final encounter at Sara Stadium when the last recognized Sri Lankan pair was batting namely skipper Asitha Jayaweera and Flavian Aponso. I invaded the grounds to congratulate Asitha after his half century. However, I was arrested by the Police, but on my way Mahadevan Sathasivam told the Police not to touch me. I was released after four hours in the Borella Police cell and people were there to greet me. I promptly asked what happened to the match. Their response was, 'thanks to you the match was drawn. To my amazement the following day the `Daily Observer' sports page headline story ran, `A happy supporter hugs Lankan skipper'. "From then onwards my name came to the limelight". Percy also admires the great all-round performance of Malcolm Spittel and Mahes Rodrigo's fighting century against the West Indies and Ben Navarathne's incredible keeping talents. Percy remembers his teachers and guru's with great respect. Apart from his beloved parents, Simon Mendis Abeysekara and Dolly Margaret Abeysekara (Both of whom were respected teachers in the Southern Province), "the Italian priests headed by rector of St. Aloysius Rev. Fr. Gaspar S. J.' who were great disciplinarians. "And ofcourse at Aquinas I was so fortunate to study under Rev. Fr. Peter A. Pillai, a brilliant scholar who was one time rector of St. Joseph's College, Colombo. I also owe much to Fr. Tissa Balasuriya who was the registrar of Aquinas University." And uncles the famous De Zoysa's Bunty, Sydney and Lucien. All of them were well known figures in the country's sports circles. Percy married Melani Silva of Moratuwa and were blessed with three children, two sons and a daughter. They suffered the tragedy of losing second son, Marlon from Meninjitis. Eldest son is Garfield and youngest daughter Nadeesha.

"I am not Eka-Seeya now. I am a Hara-Seeya," he proudly says of his four grand children.

While paying a tribute to all the past "Chieftains" of the BCCSL, Percy Abeysekara had a special word of thanks for the late Gamini Dissanayake. "Mr. Dissanayake was a great source of inspiration. He made me comfortable in making trips abroad and even around Sri Lanka," recalled Percy fondly.

The cheerman chose fit to end this interview with an anecdote. During the recently concluded 3 Test series with Zimbabwe to batting star Andy Flower, "Andy I will meet you in Kandy. In Kandy, I want to serve you a Brandy. For your Brandy let me know your Shandy. With Your Shandy or without your Shandy with your Brandy, I wish you won't be "Chandi". If you become "Chandi" I'll make you "Nondi".

Whatever said and done I love b'cos you are "Handy".

Shot back Andy Flower:

"Next time we're in Kandy;

Let us share a Shandy.

But please, Mr. Percy tell "Murali" to show us some Mercy".

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