Lesley Abeyasinghe - from hockey to cricket coaching

by Upananda JAYASUNDERA - Kandy Sports Special Corr.

ALLROUND SPORTSMAN: Lesley Abeyasinghe - an old boy of St. Thomas' College, Matale is a fine allround sportsman. He has excelled in hockey, athletics and cricket.

He represented the school hockey team from 1964 to 1967, captaining the team in 1967.

He then went on to represent Matale District at the Hockey Nationals and helped Matale to win on many occasions. He represented Sri Lanka from 1968 to 1970 an inside-right and right extreme. He was picked for the Sri Lanka - then Ceylon at the 7th Hockey Asiad in Bangkok in 1970 but due to an injury he sustained while at practice he could not make the tour.

He did not lost heart and started coaching his school at hockey for many years and helped St. Thomas' Matale champions on many occasions. He represented Sri Lanka at hockey and some of his contemporaries are: Ranjith Wijekoon, Ananda Liyanage, M. Ajuward, M. Zarook, to name a few.