Cricketing memories left by Neil much to be cherished

by Ranjan Anandappa

Sri Lanka cricket lost one of it's most respected cricketing personalities, Neil Chanmugam who passed away last Tuesday after a prolong illness and was cremated last Thursday.

74-year-old Dunkirk Neilendran Chanmugam, better known as Neil, Chanmugam an extrovert and a gentleman to the most literal sense was an all-round cricketer of exceptional qualities who represented the country at cricket before Sri Lanka was granted full Test status. Chanmugam, after representing S. Thomas' in 1958 under Michael Tissera and the following year under Dennis Ferdinands, represented the Colombo University, Tamil Union and the SSC in the domestic tournaments.

Chanmugam was an household name and was an automatic choice for the national team while competing with foreign cricket teams. As a strongly built off spinner, Chanmugam proved his cricketing prowess by capturing 5 for 43 for the Ceylon Cricket Association XI against a English team on their way to Australia led by Ted Dexter. Chanmugam, although not a great turner of the ball, his subtle change of pace and variation kept batsmen guessing all the time. He was also a ferocious hitter of the ball.

Distinguished cricket career

Chanmugam, a product of S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia had many memorable moments in his distinguished cricketing career spanning over 14 years (1960 to 1974).

He was a member of the triumphant then Ceylon team when they recorded their first 'unofficial' Test win in 1964 August at the Colombo Oval against Pakistan led by Imitiaz Ahmed which included players of the calibre of Javed Burki, Intikhab Alam, Gullam Abbas, Shafqat Rana and Pervez Sajjad.

After Darrel Lieversz doing the initial damage, polishing the top order taking 5 wickets, Chanmugam dented the lower middle order taking 4 for 28 in 12.3 overs which included the scalps of Shafqat Rana, Intikhab Alam, Asif Iqbal and F. Hamid.

The Ceylon team was captained by Michael Tissera and had four more Thomians namely, T.C.T. Edwards, C.E.M. Ponniah, B.G. Reid, P.Ian Pieris.

Chanmugam was also a member of the Ceylon team which recorded the first overseas unofficial 'Test' win against India, beating them by 4 wickets in Ahamedabad in 1965 January. Although Neil did not play a prominent role, bowling only 4 overs for 14 runs in the entire match as Norton Frederick and Stanley Jayasinghe doing the bulk of the bowling in both innings.

The Ceylon team was once again captained by Michael Tissera while The Nawab Of Pataudi led the Indians which had Faroukh Engineer, D.N. Sardeasi, Abbas Ali Baig, Hanumant Singh, Ramesh Saxena, U. Kulkarni and S. Venkatraghavan.

Neil Chanmugam, with the other off spinner Abu Fuard and left arm leg spinner Anurudha Polonowita formed the nucleus of the then spin attack.

Best knock 72 vs West Indies

The most talked about innings in Chanmugam's career and probably his best knock came in 1967 against the West Indies led by Gary Sobers when Chanmugam struck a splendid 72 with a solitary six on to the Colombo Oval pavilion roof off West Indian off-spinner Lance Gibbs, his innings also included a five and nine boundaries. The last wicket pair of Chanmugam and P. Ian.Pieris (46) batted in their own inimitable fashion and added 110 runs for the last wicket.

The West Indies who arrived in the Island after a tour of India for a four day 'Unofficial Test' was led by Garfield Sobers and had the players of the calibre of Seymour Nurse, Basil Butcher, Clive Lloyd, Lester King, Wesley Hall and wicket keeper Deryk Murray and Rohan Kanhai who did not play in that game.

Playing against Australia in 1964 led by Bobby Simpson in one of their 'whistle stop' matches on their way to England, Chanmugam took two wickets for 29 off 6 overs in an Australian total of 249. Ceylon were 101 for 3 when rain prevented further play. Michael Tissera struck a stylish 51 not out.

Good 'bowl' against Aussies

In 1969 when Australia toured Sri Lanka under the captaincy of Bill Lawry, Neil mesmerised the Aussies taking 5 for 47 and his wickets included the ones of Lawry, Keith Stackpole, Jock Irvine, Graham Mckenzie and Ashley Mallet. In the second Innings, too, Chanmugam took another three wickets, getting Bill Lawry for the second time and the wickets of Doug Walters and Ian Redpath. Lawry was generous in praising Chanmugam's efforts and complimented him as the best bowler of the match of both sides.

That Australian team also had Ian Chappell, Doug Walters, Ian Redpath , John Gleeson.

Chanmugam not only a good player, but was a good administrator as well. He was the Manager of the first Sri Lanka Test tour of England in 1984 and later the Manager of the team which toured Australia for the Benson and Hedges limited-overs tournament in 1984-85. He served the Maharaja Organization for over three decades and was a Group Director.

Neil was married to Oosha de Saram, the daughter of the cricketing great Col. F.C. de Saram, Oosha was a top swimmer and a tennis player. They had three children. Anouk a golf player, Deepika and Devin both proficient swimmers.

Neil's brother Dennis, too, played for S. Thomas' and Sri Lanka as a lively fast bowler and a hard hitting batsman. Dennis was a member of the inaugural Sri Lanka World Cup team which toured England in 1975.