Once ban lifted, Warnapura has contributed well towards cricket

Leslie FERNANDO

CRICKET: Former Nalanda College skipper and allrounder Bandula Warnapura made history by becoming the first captain of the Sri Lanka team when Sri Lanka received Test status in 1982. The man who made the dream come true was none other than the late Gamini Dissanayake - the then President of the Board of Control for cricket in Sri Lanka.

Warnapura became the first Test captain and scored the first Test run for Sri Lanka and also led Sri Lanka in four Tests.

At Nalanda, he played in under-17, 2nd XI and 1st XI 1969. He fared prominently in inter-school cricket as an opening batsman and medium pace bowler. He captained Nalanda in 1971. He is credited with having broken the Big Match record which he did by scoring 118 in 1972. He also scored 294 runs against a visiting Malaysian team, the same year.

He was the most consistent opening batsman in the Sri Lanka team in the late 1970’s.Warnapura made his mark as Sri Lanka’s future Test captain when he scored a superb 106 against visiting Australians led by Kim Huges in 1981.

His innings paved the way for victory over mighty Australians and it was a masterly display of batsmanship by a Sri Lankan.

Actually Bandula, after leaving school, joined Bloomfield and played in the Sara Trophy tournament. He also played for Burgher Recreation Club on a few occasions.

He played for Ceylon Tobacco in Mercantile Cricket Tourney’s. Warnapura started his international career with a record-breaking knock of 294 against a visiting Malaysian team as a schoolboy in 1972. He became the man of the series against visiting Tony Greig’s England team in 1977.

When the team came back from England in 1981, Warnapura invited Anura Tennakoon who had retired in 1979 to take over the captaincy because he felt that Anura had another three to four years of cricket in him, but Tennakoon refused.

That made Warnapura the first Test captain of Sri Lanka.

He captained the Sri Lanka team in their first four Test matches but luck was not with him as the team lost-three Tests matches and drew one.

Warpura however, the great trier that he is, didn’t give up hope. He led the team that beat India in the 1979 edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup in England. He scored 18 runs and took one wicket for 47.

The 56-year-old Warnapura (born 1st March 1953) had a black mark in his career as he participated in the illegal tour to South Africa. He and the 14 other cricketers who went with him on April 17, 1982 on British Airways flight through Hong Kong to South Africa were banned for a period of 25 years from all levels of cricket by BCCSL.

During the ban, Warnapura had lot of chances of learning other important aspects of the game. He had a fine knowledge in constructing turf wickets. He prepared the Nalanda College, Zahira College, Wesley College turf wickets (to name a few).

Once the ban was lifted in 1991, he held the Post of President of Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers, Sri Lanka.

He also got through the cricket umpires examination even though he did not umpire. He also coached schools cricket teams.

Then Warnapura was the Manager of the national team and also the national coach 1974-1975. Presently he is the Director, Cricket Operations, Sri Lanka Cricket.

He played in 57 first class games and scored 2,280 runs, highest being 154. He claimed 13 wickets, best figures 2 for 33.

He played in four Test matches scored 96 runs with the highest 38. he played in 12 one-day internationals and scored 180 with best score of 77. He took 8 wickets with best figures 3 for 43.