St. John's College grounds being renovated by Sri Lanka Cricket

CRICKET: If there is a will, there's a way - that's the famous saying, accepted by many people the world over. This is particulary so regarding the cricket ground that is coming up for St. John's College, Panadura.

After many years of searching for the cash that was required for the dreams of all the Old Johnians and the young ones joining the school, the school authorities can now smile a while that their efforts of seeing a cricket ground for the school has become a reality.

It was way back in 1972 that a cricket ground for St. John's had been suggested and the development at various stages took time due to the most important item for the project - cash, was not easily forthcoming.

The Old Johnians, however, would not take 'No' for an answer and though the schools take-over by the Government in 1957 was somewhat of a drawback, some leading parents (members of the Bar Council lawyers), some parents got things moving even after handing the school to the government.

A Principal in the early years - Mr. Cyril A. Jansz (Senior) took a leading role in the development of the school with a Girls School and also a Boys School and some well established persons came out from St. John's. Professor G. P. Malalasekera, Professor Nandasena Rathnapala, Gate Mudaliyar Edmund Dias, Professor Ediriweera Sarathchandra, Dr. Punchi Bandara Sannasgala, Minister of State - Mr. Valentine Jayawickrema, Dr. M. V. P. Peiris, Dr. Colvin R. de Silva, Dr. S. A. Wickramasinghe, Mr. Leslie Gunawardena, Mr. Lalith Athulathmudali, Sir Susantha de Fonseka (MP) Mr. A. C. Goonaratne, Mr. Leo Fernando (MP), Mr. Stanley Senanayake (IGP), Dr. Premasiri Khemadasa, Brig. Douglas Ramanayake and Neil C. Perera are names that comes to one's mind in a flash.

After handing over the school to the Government, Mr. Cyril Jansz (junior) and family were getting ready to migrate to Australia, but at the felicitation 'Garden Party' to them, Mr. Jansz told them that he had a dream to construct a playground for his school and he could not do it due to other priorities and involvements, but had reserved land for that purpose. He said that the young OBA members would accomplish that task.

Cyril Jansz OBA got the support of Mr. Leslie Gunawardena to obtain permission from the Ministry of Defence and External Affairs to get the Ceylon Army Engineers to do the job.

Things started to move and though there were a few obstacles on the way, the playground came into being and it was opened on August 12 in 1977 by Brigadier Douglas Ramanayake. There was some progress made during the period 1977 to 2000. Proper drainage system, laying of grass, side wickets, turf wickets and scoreboard were things left over.

The organising Secretary for the Promotion of Cricket in Panadura Schools - L. Panditharathna, a hard-working personality, known for his hard work, moved into the matter and got in touch with officials of the Sri Lanka Cricket Board.

Former Sri Lanka skipper Arjuna Ranatunga after becoming an M.P. and Chairman of the Cricket Board had a positive response to the request of the St. John's Panadura.

And now, D. Sumanachandra de Silva- who is in charge of Sri Lanka Cricket has moved in the matter. Sri Lanka Cricket has undertaken the task of improving the St. John's grounds. When developed, St. John's ground will be an alternate ground to that of the Panadura Public ground, It would be beneficial to all schools playing cricket in Panadura.

H. S. Peiris - President of Organisation for the Promotion of Cricket in the Panadura Schools, said: "Now we are known as St. John's College, Panadura and not as Cyril Jansz Vidyalaya, Panadura."