Tribute to a legend that passed away last week unsung but remembered for his exploits :

PI Pieris hobnobbed in a great era now forgotten

by Ranjan Anandappa

Percival Ian Pieris better known as PI among his colleagues and the cricketing fraternity passed away last week at the age of 82 not only signalling the end of a giant who strode the cricket fields but also closing the door on an era when the sport was truly a game for gentlemen.

PI Pieris was a Sri Lankan cricketing icon of the pre-Test era, a household name that will be remembered for his heroics against the West Indies in 1967 when he and the late Neil Chanmugan added over 100 runs for the last wicket to see Sri Lanka pass the 400-run mark in a four day unofficial Test match.

Pieris contributed 46 while Neil Chanmugam struck an aggressive 72 against a bowling attack that comprised Wesley Hall, Lester King, Garfield Sobers and Lance Gibbs.

While Pieirs played a supportive role in the partnership Chanmugan pulverised the West Indian bowling attack to all parts of the Colombo Oval.

He hit the West Indian off spinner Lance Gibbs for a six onto the roof of the pavilion and with PI kept the massive crowd on their toes. Pieris played for his school S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia and in 1953 the year he captained the Thomians his team beat Royal College in the big match. PI scored 123 and in that year he represented his country then Ceylon while at school against the Australians captained by Lindsay Hassett.

That Aussie team had players of the caliber of Keith Miller, Richie Benaud, Ray Lindwall and Neil Harvey to name a few and PI got the wicket of opener Arthur Morris.

The Ceylon team was captained by F.C.de Saram and had players like Brian Classen, HIK Fernando and Clive Inman. Bespectacled Ian was a big, lively, right arm medium pace swing bowler and a more-than-useful batsman who could turn the tide of the game with his aggressive approach while batting. He had the honour of representing Cambridge University in the years 1956 to 1958 in the company of former England captain Ted Dexter and Bob Barber, a right arm leg spinner who also opened the batting for England.

In 1957 the Cambridge University team was captained by the late Gamini Goonasena and the trio of Pieris, Ted Dexter and Bob Barber were part of it. Goonesena struck a record-breaking 211 in the annual Oxford-Cambridge encounter.

Pieirs was also a member of the country's first unofficial Test winning team against Pakistan in 1964 at the Colombo Oval under Michael Tissera.

Although Pieris did not play a significant role taking only a wicket each in both innings, Darrel Lieversz who shared the new ball with Pieris, produced a match-winning bowling effort taking 5 for 40 in the first innings and 4 for 28 in the second innings.

The Pakistan team was captained by Imitiasz Ahmed and included Javed Burki, Shafqat Rana, Intikhab Alam, Asif Iqbal and Gullam Abbass.

The Ceylon team had six Thomians in openers Mano Ponniah, TCT Edwards, Dr. Buddy Reid, Michael Tissera, PI Pieris and Neil Chanmugam. The others were Darrel Lieversz (Royal), Muttiah Devarajah (Zahira), Dr HIK Fernando (St. Peter's), Anuruddha Polonnowita (Ananda) and Abu Fuard (Wesley).

The following year (1965) Ceylon toured India and recorded her first overseas win.

Michael Tissera was the Ceylonese captain and The Nawab Of Pataudi was the Indian captain. Pieris was unable to make the tour due to personal reasons.

However, this win in 1965 against India in Ahamedabad still stands as the only win Sri Lanka has achieved on Indian soil in a Test either official or unofficial.