Hockey finally on the right turf

On the heels of our great showing in cricket in Bangladesh, comes the achievement of our hockey players. Supporters of an era long gone by would have jumped for joy and celebrated when news trickled down from Bangladesh that the Sri Lanka hockeyrites had qualified to play in the next Asian Games. To play in the next Asian Games was made possible after the SriLankan hockey players beat Chinese Taipei 3-2 in the qualifying tournament being worked off in Bangladesh.

This writer who was the hockey correspondent for 'The Times of Ceylon' in the 1960s, make bold to say that the country's hockey was at its best in the 1960s and early 1970s. That was the era when several foreign teams played here and with India and Pakistan dominating world hockey, be it in the Asian Games or Olympics. Many Indian and Pakistan teams showed their prowess here.

Crowds flocked to see these wizards in action on the then Army Grounds in Galle Face and the Sugathadasa Stadium being the venues. Sadly India and Pakistan are also rans in the game today.

Chand wizard with the curved wand

Arguably the greatest wizard with the curved wand Dhyan Chand was also seen here and Indian and Pakistani greats whose names fail my memory now. One game that is still etched in my memory was the game between Sri Lanka and the then reigning champions India played at the Army Grounds at Galle Face where the present Shangrila Hotel is being built. The newspapers built up this game and a massive crowd thronged the

venue to watch the world champions at play. Freddie White who was arguably the best goal keeper in Asia at that time Captained Sri Lanka.

Two names in the Indian team that I remember were that of dazzling forward Balbir Singh and penalty corner specialist Vinod Kumar. Two incidents are also vivid in my memory. Before going on to relate those two incidents, it must be stated that the Sri Lanka team, played from out of their skins to just go down by a goal to nil to those dazzlers who had high praise for the standard of the game and the individual play of 11 gutty Sri Lankans.

Incidents to remember

The incidents were these. The first was when G.H. Rupesinghe

obstructed the rampaging Balbir Singh on the right flank. Balbir in a flash unnoticed hit Rupesinghe on the head and Rupesinghe had double visions for a long time that kept him out of the game. Then Vinod Kumar who took a penalty corner drove a blinder that hit goalkeeper White on his tummy and he was urinating blood for a long time. White, after being hit and in great pain, stood gallantly like the boy on the burning deck and deprived the Indians of further adding to their score of one.

In that era several were the tournaments that were played. The Andriesz Shield was top of the hockey pops, the Bacon Cup, the Pioneer Cup and several other tournaments that fails my fading memory. That was also the era when we had players who could have held their own against the best in the world. Names that come to mind are that of Freddie White, Corky Abeysekera, Iqbal and Mohammad Jumar, G.H. Rupesinghe, Kotinkaduwa, Jayatissa, the Wijeykoon brothers, the Fernando brothers Stanley, Homer and Subash who all played and captained St. Benedict's and later played for the country, the Rayen brothers Lovellyn, Joyce, C.P, Jhonny Martin and 'Bana' Rajaratnam.

Also one can't also forget Dennis Rosayro, 'Bullet' Pieris, Reinzie Rupesinghe, the Kelaarts, that player of players, the short corner marvel who would fire bullets at goalkeepers and give them no chance Mylvaganam, Chandra Schaffter, Chandi Chanmugam, Somasekeram, A.Mcyintire, Joseph Charles, Francis Assisi, Batcho Selvaraj, Ivan de Kretser, Somasekeram and Leslie Figurado.

Teams that dominated

In that era teams that dominated were Tamil Union, Burgher Recreation Club and the Old Bens. The Old Bens were the draw and they had a large following and what hockey they dished out. CR and FC, Nondescripts CC, Moors SC, Colts also fielded teams, but it was the encounters between Tamil Union and Old Bens and the University and Old Bens that provided the thrills. The Bens coach was Brian Assey who had no equal. He coached several Old Bens teams to win many trophies. He also played for the green, white and green club.

Hockey personalities of that era who come to mind are W.R. Chanumugam, Sellyah, B.R. Heyn, Somapala, Barney Bowen, Lloyd Heyzer, Willie Moses, Jayampathy Perera and the Jayasuriya brothers. Sadly today the game has lost its interest and glamour.Apparently that's because the game is now confined to playing on Astro Turf with only one turf available at the Race Course. In addition to the closely contest club tournaments, schools too played a lot of inter-school matches and many were the outstanding players who emerged to go on and play for country.

Matale known as cradle of hockey

Matale was known as the cradle of hockey from where the Wjeyekoon brothers emerged. BMS Matale Girls too were outstanding and ruled the roost and one name that I still remember was that of Zohara Jumar.

The game in that era received unprecedented publicity in the 'Times', the 'Daily Mirror', the 'Daily News' and the Sun'. Writers who did justice in describing the game were Christie Seneviratne the most senior writer in the 'Daily News', yours truly in the 'Times'. Gamini Perera and Premnath Moraes in the 'Daily Mirror' and S.H.A. Careem in the 'Sun'.

And one can't also forget that hockey expert and Editor of the 'Sunday Times' Subbiah Muttiah who wrote a very well balanced and interesting column in the paper titled 'CORNER FLAG' that was eagerly awaited by the hockey people.

And we writers were one happy family enjoying our rounds with Gamini Perera being the raconteur covering the matches that saw several tournaments being worked off and enjoying it to the full---both on and off the field!

The culmination was the nationals which were well organized and

conducted with several teams participating and putting on show a high standard of stick wizardry.

Lankan cricketers set up world record

The Sri Lankan cricketers who are challenging strongly to bring home the Twenty20 World Cup from Bangladesh, in stuffing the Dutchmen in their second outing, set up a world record. It is unbelievable that the Dutchmen were shot out for 39 in just 63 balls. This was the lowest score that a team has scored in this format of the game. The Lankans in turn galloped to victory making 40 for one in 5 overs, with the game scheduled for 40 overs -20-a-side ending in 18.5 overs.

The Lankan bowlers were just ruthless. Angelo Mathews who opened the bowling with Nuwan Kulesekera had 3 for 16, Lasith Malinga 2 for 5 and Ajantha Mendis 3 for 12.

In defence of the Dutchmen it must be said that they were up against an awesome team, after playing mediocre teams in the qualifying phase and seemed overawed by the occasion.

They can treat this defeat as a bad dream and with more games to play against South Africa, New Zealand and England and if they can win at least one game could be satisfied and enough compensation for their crushing defeat by the Lankans.

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