Sri Lanka hockey humiliated at Asian Games

A stunning performance .... Opening the best selling weekend 'SUNDAY OBSERVER' first thing on Sunday morning and shifting to the sports page, I was floored to read the strapline - Pakistan crush Sri Lanka 14-0 in men's hockey qualifier - at the Asian Games Hockey tournament in Incheon, South Korea.

This stunning defeat was followed by more humiliation with India piercing our defence to hammer in 8 goals to nil against the hapless Sri Lankans. Accepted that India and Pakistan are the powerhouses in hockey, but such humiliating defeats are unacceptable.

A few months ago we were stunned when Maldives who were nothing in football and was made something in the game by our coaches hammered the stuffing of our football, stuffing us 10-nil.

After that humiliation, a committee was appointed and the public was told that the findings of what led to that humiliating defeat would be revealed. But the report has still not seen the light of the day. There is no point in flogging a dead horse.

The best years of hockey

Back to hockey and the 14-nil thrashing by Pakistan and 8-nil defeat by India and 6-nil bashing by China, takes the writer back to the 1960s and 1970s when the game could hold its own against the best in the world of that era, India and Pakistan.

During that period a lot of hockey was being played and many were the trophies that were contested for. Names of trophies that come to mind are - Andriesz Shield, Pioneer Cup, Wally's Cup and Bacon Cup and many other trophies. The nationals were fantastic.

That was the golden era of Sri Lanka hockey. Several schools played inter-school matches, clubs were in the forefront and even girls hockey was its best. But today the scenario is so different.

All big schools - St. Benedict's College, S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia, Wesley, St Peter's, Ananda, Nalanda, St. Joseph's, Royal, Zahira, Trinity, St. Sylvester's and several other schools too dribbled for honours. BMS Matale produced some wonderful girl stickers.

Clubs in the forefront

Clubs in the forefront were Tamil Union, Burgher Recreation Club, Old Bens, Nondescripts CC, Moors SC, University, Havelocks, Colts CC, CCC, CR and FC and many clubs too fielded top teams.

During that time many foreign teams toured and showed their stick artistry. India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Indian Airlines and many foreign club teams were regulars here. It was a hive of hockey activity.

Tamil Union and BRC used to dominate the club scene until the formation of the Old Bens who brought new life to the game throwing up some of the most exciting and excellent ball dribblers not seen now.The contests between Tamil Union, BRC, Old Bens and the University used to see big crowds filling the then Army Ground in Galle Face where even international matches were dribbled.

Force to be reckoned with

Players who made the game here a force to be reckoned with and whose names come to mind are A. Mylvaganam whose penalty corner hits were like lightning and unstoppable, Freddie White who was tagged Asia's Best between the posts, Chandra Schaffter a double international - hockey and cricket - Tissaveerasinghe who captained Sri Lanka, Kelaarts, Ivan de Kretser, the Harvie brothers, Iqbal Jumar and his brother, Rupesinghe, Kotinkaduwa, Wijeyekoon brothers Ranjit, Herbert and Douglas, Jayatissa and Ettipola.

Then there were the Chanmugams, Somesekeram, Jeyaratnam, Yatawara, Wickremasekera. The Old Bens threw up some of the finest players that the game had seen. Dennis Rosayro, Reinzie Rupesinghe, Anton Abeysekera, the Rayen brothers Lovellyn, Joyce and C.P, Francis Assissi, the Fernando brothers Stanley, Homer and Subash, A.McIntyre, Chandrasekeram, Joseph Charles, Batcho Selvaraj, Bana Rajaratnam and Johnny Martin the goalkeeper.

One Sri Lankan team against the Indians who were the world champions then had six Old Bens players in the team - Lovellyn Rayen, the two Fernando brothers Stanley and Homer, Francis Assissi, Batcho Selvaraj and Anthony McIntyre.

The Old Bens won many trophies in mowing down all opposition. It was customary for the Bens to join the Tamil Union. But with the formation of the Old Bens by Bro. Mathias and Premnath Moraes, the fortunes of the Tamil Union dropped. The Bens at that time had the coach of coaches, Brian J. Assey who was player cum coach and who dribbled them to the top.

India world hockey champions

In the 1960s India was the word champions, having also won the Olympic title and they played two games against Sri Lanka. One at the Army Ground, Galle Face and the other at the Sugathadasa Stadium.

Both games were equally contested. Sri Lanka led by goal keeper Freddie White was not overawed by the might of the Indians or the occasion. The Lankans were unlucky to lose the first game 1-nil and the second was close. India had the finest dribbler of that time Balbir Singh and a full back with a terrific drive Vinod Kumar. Singh was like lightning with his amazing stick work and 100 metre like run with ball glued to his stick.

Two incidents of that game that still remains vivid are - Balbir was motoring down the flank when Rupesinghe tackled him on the wrong side. In a flash Balbir struck him on the head and Rupesinghe was concussed and suffered double vision for a few days.

When White stopped a bullet - sub head

Then Freddie White who stopped a bullet like drive in a short corner from Vinod Kumar took the drive on his tummy and although in agonizing pain kept on defending gallantly and it was later revealed that White was passing blood in his urine for a few days.

Those two games were thrill packed spectacles and while India escaped by the skin of their teeth winning both encounters by small margins compared to the humiliation in Korea, the Sri Lanka hockeyrites stood up gallantly and gave as good as they got.

Some of the names of the Sri Lankan hockey players who fronted up to the might of the Indians and whose names come to mind are that of - Freddie White (Captain), Ivan de Kretser, Anthony McIntyre, Stanley and Homer Fernando, Ranjit Wijekoon, Batcho Selvaraj, Rupesinghe, Francis Assisi, Corky Abeysekera and Lovellyn Rayen.

That was the time when the Jayasuriya brothers, Barney Bowen, Lloyd Heyzer, Willie Moses, Jones, A.N. Perera, Jayampathy Perera, W.R. Chanmugam, Leslie Sellayah, Somapala and Prarine de Silva conducted the game in the country. They were all illustrious personalities which the game is yearning for today.

Present set of office-bearers

But the present set of office-bearers of the Sri Lanka Hockey Federation and the players must be congratulated for making it to the Asian Games hockey tournament after a long, long time.

The 1960s was the period when the game was tops. But with the introduction of astro turfs and limited playing venues, the standard of the game suffered and it is to the credit of the present set of office-bearers that the game is slowly making it to the status it enjoyed in the 1960s and '70s.

During that period the newspapers gave the game maximum exposure. Christie Seneviratne and Rangi Akbar covered the game for the 'Daily News' and 'Observer', the writer, Gamini Perera and Premnath Moraes for the 'Times' and 'Daily Mirror' and S.H.A. Careem for the 'Sun'.

That was also the era when Subbiah Muttiah, Editor of the 'Sunday Times' wrote the Sunday column -CORNER FLAG' commenting on all sports, especially hockey which was eagerly awaited by the sporting public.

ENJOY LIFE. IT HAS AN EXPIRY DATE ON IT.

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