Trinity - the hill capital's cradle of cricket!

by Hafiz Marikar

Trinity College under the leadership of Aakila Jayasundara and under the guidance of Sampath Perera, pocketed their third successive innings win in the first three games they had played. This may well be a record for Trinity after its glory years of the first half of the last century, and perhaps for all schools.

It's good to see Trinity cricket is getting back to those high standards. Credit should be given to the present principal Brig. Udaya Ariyaratne, for his support and to the Coach Sampath Perera for his untiring efforts.

In the first outing they beat St. Sylvester's College by an innings, and followed it up by beating Kingswood College too by an innings, in which game the skipper Aakila went on to score the first century of the season from Kandy. And in their third outing they beat Vidyartha College, that too by an innings. Thanks to the efforts of players like skipper Aakila Jayasundara who is leading the side well, with Niroshan Dickwella as his deputy and a fine bat, Janishka Premasinghe is doing his best with the ball now and must have taken nearly 20 wickets. Thissa Bandara too is doing his best with the ball, Keheliya Atugoda a technically correct bat, Kavinda Jaysuriya a good bowler, Heshan Wanniarachchi, Dimuthu Wickramanayake, Aamil Anas another top bowler should be among the wickets like the last season.

Trinity's home for cricket is Asgiriya, which holds many memories and records. The first real effort of building up a school cricket team was that of J Carter's idea in 1892. It is said that he was an enthusiast and it was due to his perseverance that Trinity took to cricket. Within four years she was able to beat Royal by nine wickets. Then against Royal was in 1893, which Trinity lost the very first game and continued losing till 1895 and it was only in 1896 they won for the first time under A. Coswatte. Trinity's first game of cricket against S. Thomas' College was in 1898. The next oldest fixture was against Ananda College, which was abandoned in 1919 and not revived till 1956. Trinity first played Wesley College in 1903 and St. Joseph's in 1908. The game against the home team St. Anthony's College was in 1914 and is being played unbroken except for three years in 1956, 1957 and 2000. The first two years was due to a dispute regarding the participation of an alleged overaged player. Saner counsel prevailed and the mater was resolved amicably and this is now considered the Big Match by both the schools.

The year 2000 was due to a disciplinary isue of the Trinity captain.

Countless Trinitians and thousands of others who have played on that hallowed turf have felt, but none has ever defined the unique atmosphere of Asgiriya which has been so much a part of Sri Lanka cricket since 1915, when Trinity`s best known and widely acknowledged greatest Principal Rev. A.G. Frazer sliced off hill and built this famous cricket ground.

Asgiriya was changed, now transformed into a Test venue by the late Gamini Disanayake, with dedicated and loyal support of three old boys in form of the late H.M. Halimdeen,Harindra Dunuwille and late Kavan Rambukwella and the Principal at the time the late Rev. Dr. W.G. Wickremasinghe. The new Asgiriya Stadium became the country`s third Test venue.

I believe it was Ian Wooldridge who said that Asgiriya is one of the most picturesque cricket venues in the world. Cricket, so much a part of the heritage of Trinity has always been associated with this historic ground.

From beginning upto the next three and half decades, Cricket at Trinity was on top. They boast of some unique performances which no other schools can dream of achieving, especially from 1921 to 1924 when they won every match played, and the majority of them by innings wins.

It is recorded that from 1921 to 1927, Trinity won every year against Royal College, which had stalwarts like Chippy Guansekara, H. Meedeniya, Niel Joseph, H.E. Wijetunga, D.W.L. Lieversz (Snr.), and even J.R. Jayewardene (whose abilities were exaggerated in later years). Some of the Trinity stalwats were J.A. de Silva, C.E. de Silva, Richard Aluwihare, Percy Maralande, C.E. Simitharachchi, R. Ondaatje, E. Ondaatje, A.H.R.Joseph, Percy Madugalle, Johnny Murray, "Puggy" Schokman, R. Halangoda, Robin Gibson, Philip Butlejens, R.B. Ettipola, T.B. Marambe, C. Dharmalingam, Reggie Alwis, Sammy David and K.B.Sangakara,

My first recollection of a Trinity team was way back in 1966 when I saw the Trinitians led by Harindra Dunuwille, with his deputy was Himendra Ranaweera, and the likes of Nihal Marambe, Glen Valangenberg, Chandra Amunugama, Lucky Abeyratna, Asoka Herath, Ajith Abeyrathne and "Gogi". Tilakarathne. The side was coached by T.B. Marambe and Trinity enjoyed one of the finest seasons after the T.B. Werapitiya led team of 1944.

I distinctly remember two sterling knocks with the willow from Harindra Dunuwille, a 128 against Kingswood College and an unbeaten 120 against Royal. There was controversy surrounding the bowling of Glen Valangenberg when he was "called" for chucking, one of the earliest such incidents in Sri Lanka. His promising new ball partner was Nihal Marambe backed by the spin of Himendra Ranaweera and Harindra Dunuwille.

Those were the days the school cricket held sway over club or national level cricket and the schoolboy cricketers were household names.

Some other great cricketers of Trinity that deserve mention are, as I remember - S.B. Pilapitiya, Frank Sirimane, Nimal Maralande, Malsiri Kurukulasooriya, Sunil M. Perera, M.T.M.Zaruk. Uvais Odayar, Mohan Sahayam, Harindra Dunuwille, Himendra Ranaweera, Nihal Marambe, Ravi Ratnayake., Chaminda Unantenna. Mevan Balalle, T.P. Weerasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara and, Sachith Pathirane and Rukshan Jaleel,

The current Trinity cricketers have it in them to emulate the greats of the past. They seem well on course. Let`s hope they will keep their heads, play the game hard and look to the end.