Observer Schoolboy Cricketer 1990, then Captain of Sri Lanka in 2003:

Marvan Atapattu, the batsman with a fighting spirit!

By Ranjan ANANDAPPA

SCHOOLBOY CRICKETER CONTEST: After an illustrious school cricket career at Ananda College where he captained the school First XI for a successful season and selected as the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 1990, Atapattu had a miserable Test outing scoring ‘ducks’ in five of his six Test matches. However, he fought his way back into the side like playing a fighting Innings when a side is in dire straits, to captain the national side in 2003 with distinction.

Atapattu’s batting style and technique has come under scrutiny by many top class players who are television commentators . He has been named as a model for young aspiring school cricketers to emulate.

Atapattu captained Ananda in 1989 and became the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year and the Best Batsman (All Island) in 1990. In the same year in November 23 he made his Test and ODI debut against India.

The batting star Atapattu, commended the contest which has lasted for over three decades and recognising a number of cricketers for their efforts, wished that the show will go on for many years to come.

He said that it not only benefits the Colombo players, but is an asset to the players in the outstations as well. There is an abundance of talent available outside Colombo increasing daily. The outstation competition is becoming more competitive which augurs well for the future.

On his Test debut in 1990 against India, just after his 20th birthday, he was unable to make any significant impact in the Test arena.

But everyone knew Atapattu’s potential and class. He was too good a player to keep on failing and soon he rose like a phoenix from the ashes to stamp his class.

He scored his maiden Test hundred against India after seven years of his debut. Sri Lanka Cricket has quite rightly bestowed him with the job of the batting coach of the national side for his immaculate batting skills.

The 42-year-old Atapattu, featured in 90 Tests and has 5,502 Test runs against his name. Atapattu with Sanath Jayasuriya as his opening partner, formed a lethal right and left hand combination. Marvan has scored a century against all Test playing nations in his 16 Test hundreds - and has gone further by scoring six double hundreds three against Zimbabwe (home and away), one each against Pakistan, England and Bangladesh.

He had the honour of scoring a hundred (185) against England at Lord’s where cricketers consider as the ‘Mecca’ of cricket, in 2002.

His top Test score was 249 against Zimbabwe in 2004 at the Galle Stadium where he was engaged in a record second wicket stand of 438 with Kumar Sangakkara.He made his ODI debut in the same year 1990 the year he played his first Test also against India. In his 268 ODI match career Atapattu scored 8529 runs with 17 centuries. His highest ODI score is 132 n.o. and he was also a member of the 1996 World Cup winning team.

Atapattu played his last Test match against Australia in 2007 at Hobart and his last ODI against India in 2007. He was one of those players many predicted as a future national player while at school. The predictions became a reality in 1990, but he had to undergo some difficult times. But like the adage ‘a cork cannot be kept under water’, he surfaced to liven the Lankan top order batting from number three to opener.