Cricket's greats at the P. Sara Stadium
 The
P. Saravanamuttu International Cricket Stadium looked a picture when the
two Captains Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene and England's Andrew Strauss
walked out to spin the coin on Tuesday.
It was the second Test in a meaningless series of Two Test matches.
Let's hope that saner counsel prevails in the future when Test series
are arranged. The International Cricket Council must not stand helpless
and keep watching when a two-match series cannot determine conclusively
the overall winner.
The Colombo Oval as it was first known, and now the P. Sara Stadium,
was the venue where all visiting international teams and world famous
cricketers showed their prowess while playing whistle stop games here.
Good old days
Unlike in the good old days, the ground and its surroundings have
undergone rapid development, in keeping with the requirements of
conducting international cricket matches.
This was the proud venue where the inaugural Test between Sri Lanka
and England was played after the country was finally admitted to that
elusive-and then exclusive-club of Test playing nations by the lords at
Lord's.
The ground was colourfully spruced up for the occasion. The
advertising hoardings erected and the advertising boards round the
boundary lines also added to its glow.
Most prominent
Of the five stands on the ground, the most prominent were the Sathi
Coomaraswamy and the Dr. Ranjan Chanmugam stands. The M. Sathasivam and
T. Murugesar were the less prominent stands and so was also the Tryphon
Mirando Stand.
Mahadevan Sathasivsam and Sathi Coomaraswamy Stands in their honour
were the most deserving. Both played for Sri Lanka known as Ceylon then.
Sathasivam was world famous.
It was said of 'Satha,' as he was fondly called, that he would prefer
late nights and a good drink on the eve of a match if he were to make a
big score. Several are the unbelievable stories said of 'Satha' that
evokes lung splitting laughter.
Lung splitting laughter
In the early 1960s when he came to Sri Lanka after retirement. From
Malaysia, I had the good fortune of playing with him. If my memory
serves me right in a 'P. Sara' Trophy game against the BRC at the
Havelock Park matting.
'Satha' then well past his prime and in the twilight of his career
was batting when Dennis Ferdinands, one of the fastest schoolboy
bowlers, a product of S. Thomas' College Mount Lavinia, came on to bowl.
Dennis bounced at 'Satha', 'Satha' ducked and told the bowler: 'Son,
I am an old man, don't bounce at me'. Next ball Dennis bounced again. 'Satha'
got into position, hooked and the next moment the ball was in the
adjoining Havelocks rugby ground. Such was the brilliance of the great
man even at that age.
Grand friendship
'Satha' and I formed a grand friendship later on in life when I was
the Sports Editor of the 'Times Group'. In those days it was a great
honour to be seen in the great man's company.
When a West Indies team played here and 'Satha' entertained them, my
colleague Gamini Perera and I were special invitees to his rollicking
parties that ended in the wee hours of the morning.
'Satha's passing away was mourned by thousands of his fans who were
thrilled by his batting that was of international class. If my memory
serves me right when 'Satha' was in jail on an allegation, Australia's
cricketing great the debonair Keith Miller, Neil Harvey and Greame Hole
visited him.
Stand in his memory
Good that the Tamil Union, for whom he performed with honour and
distinction, have put up a stand in his memory.
The Janashakthi Sports and Media Complex and the Media Box are really
well done and in keeping with what other Test playing nations could
offer. It is hoped that Sri Lanka Cricket will give the P. Sara Stadium
more games. They deserve it.
Of course the man behind the whole program an upliftment is none
other than a former Tamil Union captain and double international cricket
and hockey star Chandra T.A. Schaffter who was my captain when playing
for the club in my early days.
To indulge in some self-serving comment, it was while playing for
Saracens in 1972 for the Browns Trophy that I scored the first century
when limited-over cricket was introduced to the country and it was
against my former club Tamil Union. It hurt the conscience but it was
nonetheless thrilling.
Good on SLC
It is also good that Sri Lanka Cricket has decided to honour former
cricketing greats of the country. There is a special stand called the
Senior Citizens Stand at the P. Sara and some of our greats are taking
in the action from there. I noticed Abdul C.M. Lafir, Daya Sahabandu,
Ghulam Razick and my former BRC team-mate and off-spinner Nimal
Gunewardena.
During their playing days which was the pre-Test era, Lafir and
Sahabandu were household names. Lafir was a dashing right-hand opening
batsman with a repertoire of strokes and who had the ability to take
apart any world class bowling attack. Lafir scored bags full of runs for
his club and the country, and not to miss out his school St. Anthony's
Katugastota.
Easily the best
Daya Sahabandu was easily the best left-arm bowler produced by the
country. He could use the new ball, but was more threatening when
spinning with the old ball. He was to Sri Lanka what Derek Underwood was
to England.
Ghulam Razick was a good all-rounder. He could bowl telling seamers,
score runs with his technically correct batting and was better known for
his agile and sure slip catching.
Gunewardena was a wily off spinner and played for the BRC for many
years.
These and other greats will continue to add colour to Sri Lanka
Cricket and bring back pleasant memories of yesteryears.
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