Lionel Mendis passes away

Veteran cricket coach Lionel Mendis, who was one of the illustrious coaches in the country passed away on Friday at the age of 80. He was battling with throat cancer.

Mendis is remembered as one of the most affectionate cricket coaches with a long list of students, including the World Cup winning former skipper Arjuna Ranatunga.

He had an illustrious cricketing career as a student in Dharmashoka College, Ambalangoda and later Richmond College, Galle. He was a junior cricket coach at Nalanda college before his famed career at Anada College as the senior cricket master. Lionel Mendis was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Sports by the O.I.U. which is affiliated to the O.I.U. in USA in 2002. He received the ICC centenary Award ( 1909-2009) in recognition of his outstanding service to Sri Lanka Cricket in 2009.

He was also a recipient of the Gold Award for cricket coaching at the Golden Jubilee celebrations of SriLanka Cricket in 1998. Mendis had retired from his 29 year coaching stint at Nondescripts CC where he ran his coaching school last September.

The funeral will take place today at the General Cemetery ,Kanatte. His mortal remains lie at the Jayaratne Funeral Parlour.

Cremation will take place at 3pm