Former cricketing stars Buultjens and Weerakkody happy that contests have continued

by Leslie FERNANDO

Rohan Weerakkody - Observer schoolboy cricketer 1987	Rohan Buultjens - Observer schoolboy cricketer 1981

CRICKET: Two former Sri Lanka school cricket captains - Rohan Buultjens of St. Peter’s College and Rohan Weerakkody of St. Joseph’s College who won the coveted Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest in 1981 and 1987 respectively, said at a recent meeting that they appreciated much for the efforts in organising the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest as this contest gave the boys much needed enthusiasm to do well.

Both Buultjens and Weerakkody who had the honour of captaining the Sri Lanka under-20 team and Sri Lanka under-19 sides in 1980 and 1988 are presently in Australia. At a recent visit here, both said that the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest proved to be the best in the country.

“Both of us are indeed happy that this contest has continued for many years”. There is a lot of encouragement for players in the outstation towns due to a sectional contest for them too.

Buultjens and Weerakkody also commended the sponsors for coming forward to support for number of years because it gave the schoolboys lot of encouragement.

Rohan Buultjens has a strong cricketing background...his father, Eddie Buultjens played at Test level for Ceylon in the mid-1930s. Rohan has played with English League club Milhail in Middlesex, toured with the under-23 side to Pakistan in 1984 and was in the pool for the Test series against India in 1985.

Buultjens also played cricket for Essendon, a northern suburb of Melbourne for the Statewide Cup, in 1985.

The stylish left-hand batsman and medium pace bowler, Buultjens, won the prestigious Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year award in 1981 the first Peterite to win the top award. In 2001 after 20 years, Test cricketer Kaushal Lokuarachchi was the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year, the second Peterite.

Success story

For Buultjens it has been a success story during his school days and being picked for the top award was justified as he did well in 1981. He was also the Best Batsman.

Buultjens led St. Peter’s College in 1980 to win the Horlicks Trophy All Island Schools Limited Over Cricket Tournament. St. Peter’s on that occasion, scored a sensational seven-wicket victory over the favourites Ananda in the final with Buultjens playing the winning role.

He hit an unbeaten half century which included three sixes and two fours and paved the way for Peterite victory. Buultjens was in great form during that tourney scoring 69 not out against Dharmasoka, Ambalangoda and 54 against Nalanda in the semis.

Buultjens who has been playing for St. Peter’s since 1977 had his greatest moment in 1979.

He wrote his name in letters of gold in the Josephian-Peterite cricket series when he made twin centuries in the 45th encounter - the first batsman to do so in the series. He made 109 and 100 not out. In the second innings, Buultjens and his skipper Kito Fernandopulle (74) had a partnership of 173 runs for the third wicket.

He batted in difficult circumstances in both innings. However, he turned out to be a master of the situation. The match ended in a draw. Buultjens’ twin centuries are unique and only three other school cricketers have done it before and he remains as the only one to do so in a Big Match.

The other three batsmen who achieved this feat in Inter-School Cricket: In 1943 Royal’s George Rajapakse hit 120 and 104 against Trinity and it was followed by Prince of Wales batsman D. L. Peiris Scored 140 and 102 against Kingswood. The feat was repeated again eleven years later in 1954, Nalanda’s W. W. Silva scored 108 and 101 not out against St. Benedict’s College. Rohan Buultjens in 1980s led the Sri Lanka under-20 team against the visiting Indian under-20 side in both ‘Test’ and Limited Over game at the end of 1980 and early 1981.After leaving school, he played for NCC under Michael Tissera and then he migrated to Australia.

Four awards

Rohan Weerakkody - the Josephian skipper was the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 1987. Besides winning the ‘plum’, Weerakkody was also picked as the Best Bowler, Best Allrounder and Best Captain.

This lanky allrounder, was lucky enough to steal the limelight in the very first school match he played against Royal College in 1984. St. Joseph’s created history by defeating Royal College after 32 years and the hero of the Josephian team was debutante Weerakkody who had a match bag of 9 wickets. The Royalists followed on and weerakkody was at it again and had figures of 12.3 overs, 8 maidens, 6 runs and 8 wickets.

Rohan showed his prowess in leadership in the 1986-87 season and he led the team to victory over Carey, Mahinda, Prince of Wales and St. Benedict’s by an innings, Isipathana by 6 wickets and traditional rivals St. Peter’s and D. S. Senanayake College in limited over matches. He was also there to lead the team despite a severe leg-injury in the schools limited over tournament and to share the glory with D. S. Senanayake College after defeating S. Thomas College and St. Sebastian College.

Rohan Weerakkody turned out to be the guiding light for the Josephians in the 1987 season. He bowled effectively and also did his might with the bat and led the Josephians well during the season. He took 53 wickets and scored around 350 runs. He however, had to miss a couple of inter-school games as he was doing duty for the Sri Lanka under 19 team against the England Under-19 team and he did well in those games too. He was the vice-captain of the side.

Rohan Weerakkody had the distinction of captaining Sri Lanka under-19 team at the McDonald’s Bicentennial Youth World Cup Cricket Tournament held in Australia from February 28 to March 13 in 1988.

After leaving school, he played for Sri Lanka Air Force in the Sara Trophy Tournament for a short period before leaving for Australia.