Rumesh Ratnayake:

Champagne swing brought many wickets

by Rohan WIJESINHA

CRICKET: In the summer of '69' or so, 'Peace By The Sea Was Destroyed'. A weed of a chap - 5-year-old Rumesh Ratnayake was denting a `tin can wicket' with such a 'din', knocking down his fellow toddlers like skittles with his pace. That was to 'grab' an early turn with the bat - the `little glutton for batting' that he was. No silly little slow balls or cutters. In his grubby little palms, the shabby old tennis ball was generating uncanny carry and bounce, on their makeshift `patch of a wicket' at 11 Initium Road, Dehiwala, with neighbours such as Reynold Anandappa, Kitto Fernandopulle and Suraj Abeysekera joining the riots. Heaps of 'tin can' wickets for 'Rumma' then at Dehiwala, he recollects with nostalgia and is utterly indebted to - his dad Roger, mum Maureen and sisters Rushitha and Rehana, for sharing in 'every single' triumph and disaster - such Dear Hearts and Gentle People - truly.

Benchmark for pacies

Rumesh entered the portals of St. Peter's College, Bambalapitiya in the year 1970. The shy new entrant then set about setting the 'Benchmark' for Peterite cemen - for generations to come. Truly, St. Peter's was the 'Rock' on which Rumesh's cricket was built on. That he added heaps of bubble to the 'Wella Canal' is rich Peterite history.

Besides the shadow of the 'sturdy gates' of St. Peter's their ex-big guns, HIK Fernando, Brian Seneviratne, Anton Sethupathy, Tony Opatha, Benjy Leonidas and Mike Chanmugam took an early interest in the pacie's progress, all six of them - having recognized the youngster's significance and potential. Within the junior ranks, 'curly locks' simply swept aside the junior bats that dared 'chalk a guard' against his swing and cut.

By the year 1981 he had begun to beat a couple of war drums, spreading fear across the schools... as he ripped through the defences of the best and beefiest of schoolboy bats of his time - such as Arjuna Ranatunge, Marlon Von Hagt, Roshan Mahanama, Asanka Gurusinha Brendon Kuruppu, Naveen de Silva and dashing Sudath Pasqual, snaring 111 wickets in just 12 outings - and that's when he first crashed into our 'cricketing consciousness'.

Who was this Rumesh Joseph Ratnayake chap? ...the wires were buzzing across the canal ...and oh yes at 'Bamba' he would bat with fair orthodoxy or even slog with ferocious power, a coach's prayer - this young 'Turk' for certain.

More importantly, Rumesh left school, a Gentleman First and a Cricketer Next - as Peterite tradition so deeply dictates.

Ambassador in any colour

Having picked his baggage off the belt just then, returning from his hideout in Kuala Lumpur, not a curl out of place and a midriff of marble - this unassuming gnome swapped pieces of juicy anecdotes for a while - from his 'second' home of NCC. Never given to trumpeting his own triumphs, he was such a delight to give ear to - as he recalled his colossal exploits with such modesty ....almost apologetically. Truly a role model for the 'Spirit of Cricket'...and what an Ambassador in Lankan Blazer ....or for that matter even in his school's Blue, White and Gold, cuff and collar.

Green green grass of NCC

Having left school, Rumesh's 'lethal right arm' was literally shoved into NCC by his dad Roger for him to discover a world of distingushed members, a star-studded cricket team, a cabinet bursting with trophies ....and the opportunity to savour the 150 year old club's deeply entrenched cricketing traditions. Thence Ratnayake, used the lush green grass there and the wisdom of W.A.N. Silva to tighten up the loose nails in his technique... and to add heaps of sting to his swing.

Kiwis for starters

By the year 1982 the wiry right-hander could commandeer a wicket seam - to move the ball both ways ...off the air and off the pitch as well. Thence the clarion call to have a teenage stab at the New Zealanders in '83'. I was just an appetizer - as he proceeded to have 'Two Kiwis for Tea' in 40 overs for 46 runs. Following quickly was his 5 for 69 against England at Lord's - a commendable 'piece of sweat', following which he lapped a gritty 56 'there' to save us from certain defeat.

Rumesh's 6 for 66 against the Aussies at Hobart was a good effort as well. His 5 for 32 against Pakistan was a swell spell of swing. Our 'first' ever Test triumph and his 9 wickets in that triumph will live in Lankan folklore for aeons. So epic - as he flung a dusky arm to catch lanky Dev in his tracks. With the match won, complete strangers were kissing and hugging each other on the streets, whilst the euphoria lasted for 'Days On End' - the 'National Holiday' mind you, was specifically for 'just one day'. In that particular series, his 20 wickets 22.00 will take 'top shelt' among his memories.

Stature on stretchers

I well recollect the 'buzz' as the lanky speedster walked back to his blocks - tossed back his black locks and lolloped into his bounding run, seemingly on oiled wheels, gathering menace - to bang the ball to earth. The dusky skin and the shimmering whites, adding heaps of colour and I almost forgot his 'Ivory Headband'. Larry Gomes cozily anchored at No. 5 for the Windies, had his teeth 'stitched' up once off a Ratnayake snorter. John Wright, the New Zealand opener, blocked a 'zinger' with his nosebone and had to be stretched away.

Lanky Lloyd was whacked clangingly on his Carribean helmet in Sharjah, and literally lost his moorings. A good measure of the searing speed, Rumesh Joseph Ratnayake generated - if you like. Rumesh went on to play 23 Tests in his country's colours, bagging 73 wickets, and in 70 ODI's, snared 76 victims, mostly on unresponsive sub-continental dirt tracks. He also snared 177 wickets in 59 First Class Games as well. Usually anchored at No. 8 he notched a useful 433 Test runs with 'that' 56 against England as his best, and 612 ODI runs with 33 n.o. as his highest - at a healthy strike rate of 86.

Born on the 2nd of January 1964, Rumesh retrieved his sweater soaked in pain - for the last time, following the third Pakistani Test at Lahore in 1992. Aged only 28, he had bowled his heart out - and his shoulder out of its socket as well - a 'socket' that cast such a 'painful shadow' on his class, throughout his International career.

Saintly humility and searing pace

The god fearing Christian - who 'speared fear' into the hearts of the classiest of batsmen ...now spends his time traversing the Asian sub-continent, laying the infrastructure and giving a 'leg-up' to aspirant cricketers, in China, Bhutan, UAE, Bahrain, Malaysia and Nepal among others, in his capacity as a Development Officer attached to the - Asian Cricket Council.

But is this degree of recognition sufficient for this 'legendary pacie; of ours ...as he relaxes cradling a plate of his beloved Japanese food ... his music discs to his 'left'...spouse Sonali lovingly on his 'right', and his lovely daughters Sheraiah, Kalisha and Reshaiah all over him, all three of them.

- former Josephian,

NCC and Sri Lankan Schools Opener