Udaya Yatawara and brothers all fine sportsmen

by Upananda JAYASUNDERA - Kandy Sports Special Corr.

Sporting Family: Looking for sportsmen and cricketers in Kandy? Well you get plenty of them to choose from. There is that Yatawara family who have made a name for themselves.

Take for example Udaya. He is known to be a fine sprotsman all over, having excelled in Cricket, Rugby Football and Athletics while at Dharmaraja Collage, Kandy . He is known to be a fine all rounder in cricket, having represented the school from 1979 to 1982, played Rugby and participated in Athletics too, winning his school colours in all three sports.

Cricket has been a sport that Dharmaraja has produced many top-notch players and in the 1981-82 season, Udaya seemed to have really revelled, making over 900 runs, averaging over 50 per innings. Cricketing doesn't mean only batting and while being in the team during his hey days, Udaya really excelled in fielding, much to the delight of his fans and the Rajans had much fine fielders as Lalith Wijeratne, Bernard Perera and others.

There was a contest in 1981 for the Best Batsman of the year in Kandy at the Antonian grounds and there was Duleep Mendis, Susil Fernando, Sidath Wettimuny, Ranjan Madugalle, to name a handful of names that come in a flash to mind and in that contest Udaya Yatawaras' outstanding fielding helped himself to the highest haul of catches.

After his school days were over, Udaya played for Kandy Cricket Club in 'A' division cricket as an opening batsman from 1983 to 1988 and also played for George Steuarts in Mercantile Cricket and he turned out to be such a success that George Steuarts were able to win many tournaments.

While cricket took pride of place in his sporting career, Udaya didn't forget about his other fancies in sport Athletics, Football and he also encouraged young sportsmen to further their interest in sports.

A public Schools coloursman in athletics, he was a prominent participant in Mercantile sector, while he also played football. He also has been a regular figure at the Henry Steele Olcott Cricket and a regular member of the Old Rajans team.

Udaya Yatawara is a great lover of sports and he has given a helping hand to the up-and-coming sportsmen at Dharmaraja College in his capacity of being the president of Dharmaraja College Old Boys Union (Colombo Branch).

Udaya has three sons and they are at D.S. Senanayake College and two of them are playing for Sri Lanka at school level. Udaya is the Chairman of D.S. Senanayake College, SDS Sports Committee.

Sports goes in the family. Udaya's elder brother Hemantha got the highest award winner of 'Dagoba' at Dharmaraja in Rugby, Hockey and Athletics. He also played Rugby for police and country. He also played Hockey for Sri Lanka.

He has six brothers in all and Saman in presently serving in the Police Force as an ASP. The three brothers Hemantha, Saman and Udaya played for DRC first fifteen Rugger Team in 1980 which was captained by Hemantha and the team coach was Lanil Tennekoon.