Roy Dias - 61 not out on Wednesday

By A.C. De Silva

Birthdays of leading cricketers are much looked forward to events and celebrations are eagerly carried out whether they are in Sri Lanka or elsewhere around the globe.

A former Sri Lankan star - Roy Dias - the former St.Peter's College star batsman and who shone with fine performance during his stint with Sri Lanka Cricket. Roy Dias celebrates his 61st birthday next Wednesday, September 18.

Though he had an inauspicious beginning for big time cricket, being dismissed for a 'duck' in his first big match - that's Sri Lanka's inaugural Test against England played at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium in 1962 when he was out to England's Bob Willis in the first innings.

He grew in confidence later and became Sri Lanka's star batsman. Came the second innings, Dias' colours were shown in no uncertain manner and he made 77, hitting 11 fours in the process.

There were no slap-bang stuff. Rather, he played with dignity born from cultured batsmanship. Neither the pace of Botham nor the cunning bowling of Underwood disturbed Dias.

Came the first overseas tour to Pakistan and Roy Dias was in his best form. It was a tour to remember. In the first Test played at Karachi, he made 53 in the first innings and 19 in the second. Then in the second Test at Faisalabad, he was unlucky to miss his maiden century by just two runs. It was in that match that Sidat Wettimuny made 157 to become Sri Lanka's first Test centurion.

Then in the third and final Test played at Lahore, Roy Dias scored his maiden Test century - 109 in a total of 240.

In this first tour to Pakistan, Dias scored 295 runs at 49.16. He played in 20 Tests and scored 1,285 runs in 36 innings between 1982-87 and he banged 3 centuries and 8 half-centuries.

Then on the one-day scene, he became the first batsman in Sri Lanka to score 1,000 ODI runs in 27 innings. Then in ODIs he scored 1,573 runs in 58 matches between 1979-87 with 2 centuries and 11 half-centuries.

It is said that when Victor Trumper made only four runs in a game, but it was enough to reveal his class. And so it is with Roy Dias. Even if he had not made the tall scores that he made against India. Dias' technique is refined by the grace and elegance which one associates with great batsmen. Roy Dias has thrilled the crowds in India with his fine strokes.

When he stopped playing cricket, Roy Dias did the next best thing he took to coaching. He coached here in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Oman and Malaysian National Team.