Old Boys' Cricket quad for a record 46th year

While this column is being read, the final of the Old Boys Cricket Quadrangular will be contested at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. The quadrangular is between the old boys of the leading catholic institutions - St. Benedict's, St.Joseph's, St. Anthony's and St. Peter's.

This quadrangular is being played for the 46th year, with a couple of hiccups, probably due to the war years. It is a tournament to be remembered which has been going on, thanks to the efficient committees of the respective schools over the years who have kept the flame burning.

It is of interest to make reference as to how this quadrangular came into being. The Green, White and Green school was celebrating a milestone in 1963.

The Old Bens Sports Club Committee of that time headed by Douglas de Liveira which also included Premnath Moraes, Leslie Lord, A.J.U.L. Ramanathan, Albert Fernando, Stanley Rodrigo, Francis Casiechetty, Talus Fernandopulle and several others whose names that don't come to mind struck on the idea of a Sports Festival to mark the event.

Limited-over cricket

One event was to conduct a limited-over cricket tournament. President de Liveira wanted this writer who was cricket secretary at that time to write to about 10 schools inviting them to play. Only the four above mentioned schools responded. And that is how this quadrangular came into being and which is proudly being conducted for the 46th years with the Old Antonians being the hosts.

The first ever final was between Old Bens and Old Antonians at Kotahena and won by the Kandy School. That Antonian team was led by Harry Jayasundera and had brilliant cricketers such as Abdul C.M. Lafir, W. Premaratne, Anton Rambukpotha, Ranjt Samaraekera, Ranjit and Saliya Dorenagama to name a few.

The Bens had Lovellyn Rayen, Neville Casie Chetty, Ranjit and Sanath Jayewardene, Cecil Waidyaratne, Anslem Ludowyke and the writer whose names come to mind. It was a close game won by Old Antonians.

One man who is still keeping the flame that was lit 46 years ago is former Antonian and Colts CC opening batsman Ranjit Samaraskera. The hosts this year are the Old Antonians, Kandy. And he certainly deserves to be toasted and honoured for his services at the celebrations to be held after the final.

Response from Sahabandu

Apropos my 'SPORTSCOPE' column in the previous Edition of the 'SUNDAY OBSERVER', headlined DRS SCOURGED AND CONDEMNED, SHOULD END UP IN ASHES' which also referred to the Royal-Benedictine cricket encounter of 1960 I received a response from former Royal College, Nomads and Sri Lanka cricketer Daya Sahabandu.In that column, taking on umpiring and the Decision Review System which has come in for a lot of criticism, some justified and some not, I referred to the Royal - Benedictine inter-school cricket match at Reid Avenue and the alleged assault on an umpire by the name of Lappen.

This incident also brought to focus the refrain - "what happened to Lappen will happen to you" - when appeals were made against the Benedictines in games that followed. That shout was to evoke lung splitting laughter.

That shout was made famous by the man who created the situation at Reid Avenue, Ben Antony when the Bens lost the game by 28 runs owing to some bad umpiring. Incidentally I failed to mention that Ben too played cricket for St. Benedict's College in the late 1940s when cricket was played at the quadrangular.

Best dual purpose bowler

To get back to Sahabandu, he was easily the best dual purpose bowler ever produced by the country. He could use the new ball and the old ball with equal dexterity and be venomous with his cut, swing and swerve.

During his time when he was knocking over batsmen like skittles, he was tagged the local Derek Underwood and I remember him being also tagged the left-arm Garfield Sobers. He was born too early and he reigned in the pre-Test era.

Referring to that game Sahabandu, admits to the bad umpiring when the game was getting very interesting and makes special mention of the poor LBW decision against Cyril Ernest. 'Bandu' as he was fondly and popularly called, considers Ernest very highly as a right-hand belligerent batsman, right-arm off-spinner and brilliant fielder. He considers Ernest unlucky not to have played more representative cricket.

Makes special mention

'Bandu' makes special mention of right-hand batsman Quintus Perera for his majestic 89 which included 11 fours and 5 sixes. Off spinner Nanda Senanayake was hit for 4 sixes and the other six, 'Bandu' says was off him.

Quintus' knock came in 62 minutes and 'Bandu' remembers him suffering a cramp and not being able to finish the slaughter of the Royal bowling. It was one of the finest exhibitions of controlled hitting seen in school cricket at Reid Avenue.

'Bandu' also goes to mention that St. Benedict's also had Cyril Ernest, Allan Gunesekera, Nihal Zoysa, Elmo Rodrigopulle and Ranjit Fernando in that team. He considers Ranjit as easily one of the best wicket keeper- batsman the country has produced.While Cyril Ernest and Ranjit Fernando played for Sri Lanka, Nihal Zoysa and Elmo Rodrigopulle played for the Board President's X1 after lucrative seasons of club cricket. He admits that, that Benedictine side that took on Royal was full of talent with school cricket grounds full of spectators in those days and laments the lack of them in today's scene.

Cheer leader Dabrera

Kenneth Dabrera, the Benedictine cheer leader of that time with his deafening husky voice that could be heard far, remembers that particular game as it was played yesterday and even when it is being spoken of today recalls vividly some of those incidents. Reproduced below is the scoreboard of that memorable match that was played at Reid Avenue in January 1960 - 53 - years ago before a full house of wildly cheering schoolboys, supporters and cricket fans sent from Sahabandu's archives.

Captains - Michael Dias (ROYAL) - Elmo Rodrigopulle (SBC)

Royal 1st Innings: Sarath Samarasinghe c Nihal Fernandopulle b Cyril Ernest 19, Nanda Senanayake run out 19, Michael Dias st Allan Gunesekera b Ernest 15, Brian Pereira c Gordon Dissanayake b Ernest 21, T. Peraeawar c Ernest b Nihal Zoysa 25, Siriniker Jayaratne c Quintus Perera b Zoysa 8, Sarath Vidanage b Perera

13, Mohamed Ismail b Ernest 9, Daya Sahabandu c Ernest b Nihal Amerasinghe 10, Harsha Samarajeewa st.Gunesekera b Ernest 0, Darrel Lieversz not out 1, Extras 7. Total 147, Bowling: N. Zoysa 11-2-28-2, Q. Perera 6 -3-13-1, N. Amerasinghe 4-0-13-1, Elmo Rodrigopulle 11-0-41-0, G. Dissanayake 6-3-12-0, C. Ernest 23- 8- 32-5.

St. Benedict's College 1st innings: C. Ernest lbw b H. Samrajeewa 5, Sanath Jayawardene b Senanayake 19, A. Gunesekera b D. Sahbandu 51, Ranjit Fernando b Senanayke 5, N. Amerasinghe c Pereira b Vidanage 31, E. Rodrigopulle c & b Senanayake 12, Q. Perera c

Dias b Senanyake 2, N. Fernandopulle c Pereawar b Senanayake 0, G. Dissanayake c Ismail b Vidanage 13, N. Zoysa not out 3, Percy Perera not out 10, Total 151.

Bowling: D. Sahabandu 21-9-51-2, H. Samarajeewa 7-1-23-1, D. Liversz 1-0-2-0, N. Senanayake 23-12-39-5, S. Vidanage 12.2-6-23-2, Brian Pereira 4-1-7-0.

Royal 2nd innings: S. Samarasinghe run out 0, N. Senanayake c P. Perera b Jayewardene 65, M. Dias not out 40, T. Perewar c Perera b Ernest 30, Extras 7, Total (for 4 wkts dec) 193. BOWLING: N. Zoysa 11-2-25-0, Q. Perera 5-0-15-0, N. Amerasinghe 5-0-6-0, C Ernest 15.3- 0-46-1, E. Rodrigopulle 14-2-62-0, G. Dissanayake 2-0-18-0, S. Jayewardene 1-0-4-1.

St. Benedict's College 2nd innings: S. Jayewardene c Jayaratne b Senanayake 1, R. Fernando c Perwara b Ismail 8, C. Ernest c Jayaratne b Senanayke 12, A. Gunesekera lbw Ismail 5, Q. Perera c Samarsinghe b H. Samarajeewa 89, E. Rodrigopulle c Jayarane b Samarajeewa 4, G. Disanyake c Vidanage b Samarajeewa 2, P. Perera lbw b Sahabandu 0, N. Zoysa run out 9, N. Fernandopulle not out 0, Extras 6 Total 161. Bowling: D. Sahabandu 13-0-53-1, D. Lieversz 2-1-4-0, H. Samarajeewa 12-3-41-4, Ismail 6-2-21-2, N. Senanayake 6-0-36-2.

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