‘Satha’s improvisation of strokes made him incomparable

By A.C.De Silva

Mahadevan Sathasivam.... Crickter Mahadevan Sathasivam has stirred such vigorous sentiments among the local and foreign population that even after his death there are quite a number of people still talk about his deeds on the cricket field in Sri Lanka and abroad.

He left this world on July 9 in 1977 after a heart attack. He was 60-years old at the time of his death.

As a batsman his technique was perfect in defence. In attack too, but in attack, his improvisation was what made him incomparable. He was comparable to a jazz artist who, taking his instruments used to march out to the middle bore the stamp of class. His walk to the middle, within cap at a angle, had style. His every movements had grace.

Satha has played many memorable innings. Perhaps his first big knock for Sri Lanka, then Ceylon was in the inaugural Gopalan Trophy game on the Chepauk grounds in Madras in 1946. He scored 217 breaking the ground record of 214 made by Joe Hardstaff. It was not so much the record, as the manner in which he made it and the story behind its making, that is as unique as the man himself. Having bundled South India out Ceylon went into bat and when tea was taken, Satha was in his 60s.

Many stories

There are many stories surrounding the great batsman Sathasivam and one of the early stories is the one related by one of his pals Bernard Jayasuriya who had been a keen Spectator St. Joseph’s College. As Satha met Jayasuriya, the letter threw out a challenge, “Satha a bottle of Black Label if you score a century.” “taken Bernad” was Sathas’ prompt answer. At close of play Satha was about 120 and Jayasuriya offered Satha a bigger and better bait. “One week in Bombay if yo score a double century Satha” he said “Book that ticket and hotel right now Bernand” was Satha’s answer. He had batted superbly all through that century, which reminds everyone of Satha’s answer to the question his friends foolishly ask him “how are you batting Satha”, “batting beautifully brother”, he would answer.

Sathasivam has a routine each morning. Whether there was to be match or not, every morning after his shower, he would pick up his bat stand in front of a long mirror and go through the moments of playing back defensively. He would watch his bat lift, watch his bat come down straight, left elbow well up and say to the mirror: “That it brother. That’s it”. Even his shadow batting was a treat to watch.

He was a product of Wesley College before he got into big-time cricket. There was inter-school cricket match that comes to mind amids the many good knocks that he played.

That one knock was when Wesley played against S. Thomas’ in 1935. “Satha” belted the Thomian bowlers black and blue to score one of school cricket’s unforgettable centuries in almost even time.

Instant success

In big-time cricket, he was an instant success. His feat of 38 centuries was surpassed by F.C. De Saram (60 centuries) and S.S. Jayawickrema’s 52 centuries. Of the centuries that Satha scored four were 200 and over, 10 over 150, and 18 of them were for Tamil Union in First Class Cricket. In 1948 he captained the Ceylon team against the Australian team led by Don Bradman. There were quite number of memorable batting displays by Satha before Sri Lanka got official Test status. When Sri Lanka played the first unofficial Test against Pakistan in Pakistan he scored a half century at Lahore.

Pakistan were all out for under 300 runs on the first day with Gamini Goonesena causing the damage. However, Sri Lanka could not take the advantage and after being 60 for no wickets on the first day, there was rain on the next two days of the four-day match. The weather cleared on the fourth morning and Pakistan skittled the Lankans out for a little over 100 runs. Sri Lanka ultimately lost the match by an innings.

Sathasivam scored centuries in England, Ceylon, India and Malaya and captained Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club form 1942 to 1945, 1947, 1949 and 1955.

He was Vice-President from 1960 to 1962 and 1970 to 1972 and an Honorary Life Member of the Club from 1973.