Maralande - a true sportsman

by Hafiz Marikar

Nimal Maralande the famous Trinity College, Kandy and Sri Lanka ruggerite and cricketer. He made his school Trinity, Kandy, his home town Kurunegala, Colombo and Sri Lanka proud in the field of rugger and cricket. He was a classy fly half, of the calibre of Archibald Perera, Ago Paiva, Mohan Sahayam, Glen Vanlangenberg, Irwin Howie, Frank Hubert, Omar Sheriff, today there is a fly-half of his calibre Kandy Sports Club's Fazil Marija.

Nimal first played rugger for his school in 1956 under the guidance of late Col. Bertie Dias, and the leadership of D.N. Frank, that year Trinity College was rated as the best school team. His team mates were Ken de Joodt, M.V. Boteju, A.J.W. Balthazar, Franklyn Jacob, R.J. de Silva, G. Weerasinghe, U. Atanayake, J. Dias de Singhe, Uvais Odayar, R.N. de Alwis, S.P de Silva, A.S.B. Ellepola, Mike de Alwis., that year they won both the Bradby 'legs', 15-0 and 11-0.

In the following year, 1957, Trinity won both 'legs' again 8-0 and 9-8.

In 1958, again it was under the captaincy of Ken de Joodt. That year Royal won the first leg 6-0 and the 'second leg' ended in a nil-all draw. Maralande was able to get only the rugger colours in 1956 along with Mike de Alwis, R.N. De Alwis, S.P. De Sylva, A.S.B. Ettipola, A.R. Frank and Uvais Odayar.

Maralande left school at the end of the first term in 1959, and along with his good friend D.C. Abeyratne went for practices at CR and FC that was due to his father's request, A.P. Maralande, who led Trinity cricket in 1921 like his son won colours at cricket. A.P., was able to lead the cricket team for three years 1920, in 1921 and 1922 and won the cricket lion in 1920.

Both Nimal and D.C Abeyaratne were not happy with the set up at CR & FC, and these two were refused to use the bar facilities and they left the club in couple of days and joined Havelock Sports Club, which Club he led in 1965. Nimal was also in the committee for a long spell and President in 1976 and 1977 later was a honorary life member.

Nimal played for the All Ceylon Barbarians in 1959 against the Combined Oxford/Cambridge, then for All Ceylon in the All-India tournament in 1960, 1961, 1962, and 1963 as a captain and 1964, he led the country before his club. In 1964 he played for the country against the British Joint Forces XV, led the low-Country in their annual game against Up-Country and Defence Services. He was famous for his long kicks and up-and-unders. He played as a fly-half.

Nimal was also a fine cricketer during his school days. It was at cricket he did well at the start, but rugger 'robbed' him and while at school he was a classy cricketer, if he had played serious cricket like rugger, he would have been a top Sri Lanka cricketer.

He won the bowling prize in 1956, Fielding in 1957 and batting in 1958. He won his cricket colours in 1955 with A.S.B. Ellepola, G. Koelmeyer and Uvais Odayar and the 'Lion' in 1959 along with Malsiri Kurukulasooriya, W.S. de Chickera. Maralande led the Central Province Schools and the Combined Schools team. While in Colombo, played for NCC in the premier tournament.

While at school, Maralande was in tennis too, where Trinity played tennis as a club. Then later Trinity in nineteen fifties sent teams to participate in the Public Schools meets in Colombo and the school authorities relented to the extent that Tennis colours were awarded to three players who did well at these meets.

In 1957, 58 and 59 Nimal was also a Prefect. He also won the A.H.R. Joseph Challenge Cup in 1958 presented to all round excellence in sports at Trinity. Nimal's forte was team spirit and in rugby whenever he got the ball, he never made it for himself, he sent the ball down the line. Even in cricket he was a team man.

Nimal is no more, but still sportsmen talk about his gentleman like qualities on the sports field.