Champion Varsity Kollo of ‘62/63 celebrate Golden Jubilee in style

It was indeed an occasion that needed to be celebrated. And celebrate they did in grand style at the Nondescript Cricket Club on Friday. The occasion was the Golden Jubilee of the winning of the Saravanamuttu Trophy by the University of Ceylon in 1962/’63. The achievement of that team led by Carlyle Perera has not been equalled or surpassed since. That team had the cream of schoolboy cricketers of that era who in addition to their excellence in cricket also excelled in studies.

The writer had the good fortune of playing with and against these illustrious set of cricketers at school and club level. Carlyle Perera who led this champion university team played for St. Joseph’s College, captaining the team in 1958 and the writer had him stumped by Anslem Ludowyke in the SBC v SJC game in Kotahena. His brother Travis played for SJC in 1959.

Others in the winning team that this writer played with or against were – Mano Ponniah, Nihal Gurusinghe, Lareef Idroos, U.R.P. Goonetilleke, Buddy Reid (STCML), N.J.S.de Mel, Nanda Senenayake, Harsha Samarajeewa (Royal), Kingsley Fernando, (St. Sebastian’s Moratuwa), Adiel Anghie, Merril Gunaratne (St. Peter’s), Cyril Ernest who was my teammate at SBC in 1959 and 1960.

Idroos wins Best Bowler’s prize

The writer captained St. Benedict’s when Lareef Idroos captained STCML in 1960. Lareef and this writer were in the running for the Best Bowler’s prize in 1958 as leg spinners. Being the better bowler, he ultimately won the prize.

A little anecdote about Adiel Anghie and St. Peter’s will be of interest here. When Anghie played in the 1959 Peterite team captained by Brian Seneviratne, the Bens captained by Lionel Fernando beat them in Kotahena.

The Peterites who were fancied to beat the Bens lost the game and the Rector of that time at SPC annoyed by the loss presented hula hoops to each member of the team at an assembly held on Monday morning in the College premises! A sense of humour spiced with a potent message that alas we do not see among heads of school in these times.

Members of that unequaled and illustrious cup winning University team were - Carlyle Perera,Consultant Psychiatrist. Melbourne, Buddy Reid, Consultant Surgeon, Melbourne, Nihal Gurusinghe, Consultant Internist, New Zealand, Mano Ponniah, renowned architect, Lareef Idroos, Consultant Nephrologist, USA, Cyril Ernest, Consultant Cardiologist, USA, Harsha Samarajiva, Internist in Colombo and in big demand, Mohanlal Fernando, Retired Rheumatologist and Specialist in Sports Medicine, Wales, V. Sivanandan, Emeritus Professor in Veterinary Sciences University of Minesota residing in Malaysia, Kingsley Fernando, Retired Chief Engineer, Colombo, Nanda Senanayake, Gentleman at large, Colombo, Adiel Angie, Retired Pulmonologist USA, Merril Guneratne, Retired DIG, Colombo.

Three members of that team who are no more are – N.J.S.De Mel, K. Wimalaratne, and U.R.P. Goonetilleke. De Mel was an Executive at Ceylon Tobacco, K. Wimalaratne, was a Consultant Cardiologist and tragically drowned in California, U.R.P. Goonetilleke was a Consultant Pathologist. Six members of the team played for Ceylon. Buddy Reid, Mano Ponniah, Nihal Gurusinghe, Cyril Ernest, Lareef Idroos. Ernest in addition to his versatility in cricket and tennis is a champion Black Belter in TaeKwondo.

Until the take-over of the schools in 1961, St. Benedict’s College had as their ‘Big Match’ an inter-school match against the Sister Colleges - comprising players from St. Sebastian’s, Moratuwa , St. Anne’s College Kurunegala, De La Salle College, Mutwal and St.Anthony’s College Wattala.

This writer will not forget the innings that Kingsley Fernando played in the ‘Big Match’ of 1960 at Kotahena. The Sister Schools were following on and were not too happily placed when right hand batsman Fernando walked in. That Sister Schools team was captained by Maximus Abeynaike and SBC by the writer. From the time he took guard, Fernando, as the saying goes, took the bull by the horns and playing a dashing innings, partnered by Abeynaike put up a big stand to save the team from certain defeat.Fernando in a rarely seen innings blasted something over 150 and Abeynaike acquited himself with a dazzling half century. That was the last time that that ‘Big Match’ was played because with the schools take over some of the schools became Maha Vidyalays.

Time was when Australian cricket seemed to be slowly but surely making its way to becoming the power that they were once in world cricket when their teams under the leaderships of Allan Border, Mark Taylor, Stephen Waugh and Rickey Ponting just steam rolled over all opposition.With cricketers of the calibre of Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Damien Martyn, Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist, Glen McGrath and Shane Warne they hugged the top spot as unchallenged champions. But with the retirement of the above mentioned rare breed, their cricket spiralled and was easy beats by many teams, particularly by their traditional Ashes rivals England.

Then with the retirement of skipper Ricky Ponting, present captain Michael Clarke seemed to be taking their cricket to the all too familiar top spot again. But in India against the mighty spin of the Indians they are being blown away like a pack of cards.

Insensible sending back

And to add to their woes is the insensible sending back of three of their players – Mitchell Johnson, James Pattinson and Usman Khawaja for not complying with a request for inputs by their coach Mickey Arthur on how to improve their game that is falling apart.Now by sending back the three players, coach Arthur acted the role of Head Master dealing with schoolchildren. It apparently disturbed team spirit as was evident with the third thrashing by the Indians in Mohali.

In jest it is being said that with Arthur being a South African he did not want to see his country losing the top spot to Australia, so he sent the three players home, so as to weaken the team! When Vice Captain Shane Watson followed the three players home, the consensus was that he too was being penalised for the same offence committed by the other three players.

But thankfully it was not so. Watson had flown home to be by the side of his wife who was expecting a baby. But he will be back for the final Test which will be of no sequence because Australia has already lost the Test series three-nil.

Helping in the Aussie capitulation, was that man from nowhere –left hand mauler Shikhar Dhawan. The manner in which he made mincemeat with a depleted Aussie attack, made cricket connoiseurs to ask the question: where was Dhawan all this while? As a young debutant, he showed no nerves, was not overawed by the occasion as he blasted his way to the fastest Test century made by a debutant batsman. The Aussies did not have to chase leather, because the ball once it left his bat rocketed to the boundary and over it. It must be galling to the Aussies and their Cricket Board the thrashing in Three of the Four Tests played so far. The Aussies have been shamed and if the poor form they have so far displayed is an indication, they the Indians are set to whitewash the Aussies by winning the final Test which will be a sad chapter in their cricket.

Sri Lankans save face

After conceding honours to Bangladesh in the First Test in Galle, the Sri Lankan cricketers led by Angelo Mathews saved face and blushes by beating the visitors by 7 wickets in the final Test at the R.Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday. Bangladesh arrived here with an inexperienced side packed with youngsters and Sri Lanka was expected to roll them over and win the Two Test series without having to raise a sweat. But ultimately it was the Sri Lankans who were made to sweat in Galle by the visitors who batted with great courage to post a score of 638 in reply to the home team’s score of 470 for 4 declared.

Chinks have appeared in the Lankan style of play and those in charge of the game will have to do some serious thinking to engage in to resurrect the game if they are to be formidable opponents in the future.

While the batting held its own with Kumar Sangakkara rattling up three centuries and a fifty, Dinesh Chandimal two centuries, Tillekeratne Dilshan a century and a couple of half centuries and Lahiru Thirimanne a century, the batting looks settled. Its a pity we did not have Mahela Jayewardene in the mix as he would have revelled batting on these tracks. But it is bowling that should be worrying.

Except for left arm leg spinner Rangana Herath, the rest of the bowling is not worth talking about. New bowling coach Chaminda Vaas must certainly be fuming at the efforts of the medium pacers. There was also a comedy enacted when the wicket at the R.Premadasa Stadium was labeled a green top and on which the medium pace bowlers were expected to revel. On the contrary it turned spin friendly as spinner Herath proved.

The GREEN TOP became a GREEN FLOP.

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