Sports Minister Ratnayake to be felicitated by Vidyartha

by S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Corr.

FELICITATION: The newly appointed Minister of Sports C.B. Ratnayake will be felicitated by his old school - Vidyartha College, at a colourful ceremony to be held at the school hall on Friday - June 4th at 10 a.m.

Minister C.B. Ratnayake had his early education in his village of birth in Walapane before coming over to Vidyartha College to continue his studies.

He Played rugby for the school as stand-off and was also a hard hitting batsman in the cricket team. He also performed well at athletics. For two years, he held the post of President of the Nuwara Eliya District Cricket Association, breaking the monopoly of the planters who held this position for many years.

One of his prime objectives was for cricket playing clubs in the district to have a club house of their own which should be the rallying point where the club members could meet and discuss their future plans and have better understanding among them.

He also did a lot for the improvement of cricket in the district by conducting cricket tournaments and distribution of cricket materials through Sri Lanka Cricket.

But it must be noted though Dimbula Athletic and Cricket Club from the Nuwara Eliya District played in the then highest level of Club - the P. Saravanamuthu trophy upto seventies alongside leading clubs in the island but the team comprised old boys from Royal, S. Thoma’s, St. Joseph’s St. Peter’s, Thurstan, Ananda and Nalanda who were based in the plantation sector. At school level, Nuwara Eliya had very little cricket till and effort was made to play the game at grass roots level over ten years with Trevor Nugawela, Tuan Dole, late P.H.A.N. Dias, Jagath Jayasundera, Harin de Costa playing key roles.