Category Archives: child of empire
Day 4 In Galle: Sri Lankan Opening Pair bring Victory into Sight
Danny Byrne: “Karunaratne and Thirimanne share a magnificent partnership to leave Sri Lanka close to victory”
I arrived at the ground a little later than on previous mornings after doing some preparatory shopping for a bird-watching visit to a rain forest after the conclusion of the Test match. I found a pair of plastic sandals in a sale for 600 Rupees and a bag of table salt in Food City set me back a further 125. When I climbed up to the first floor of the Galle CC Stand at 9.30 am the outfield was completely covered in tarpaulins. In less than 15 minutes they had all been removed by six teams of lads in bright yellow shirts with twenty individuals in each team. The umpire’s inspected the wicket and the outfield with the clouds distinctly darker than on the previous three mornings and play finally got under way at 10.35 am.
An ODE for Harry
Harry the “Hassett” as “Harry The Bat”
There once was a wee lad
Named HARRY … incarcerated
In boarding school Aloysius
In Appreciation of Neville Cardus, son of a whore and a discerning cricket writer
Roger Alton for the Daily Mail, 1 August 2019, with title “Pitch Perfect”
THE GREAT ROMANTIC …… by Duncan Hamilton (Hodder £20, 400 pp)
A FIELD OF TENTS AND WAVING COLOURS ……………. by Neville Cardus (Safe Haven £14.99, 240 pp)
The last days of summer may soon be upon us — give or take an Ashes tour — but, with these two beautiful books, the sky will always be silky blue, the sun shining down, thousands pouring into Old Trafford for a bitterly fought Roses match and Bradman 160 not out at tea.
Duncan Hamilton is already a multiple award-winning sports writer, but it is hard to imagine he will write a better book than this superb, elegaic portrait of the sociable, feted, but ultimately unknowable, man who virtually invented modern sports writing. Neville Cardus was born, illegitimate, into poverty in 1888. His real name was John Frederick Newsham, but he never knew his father. Both his mother and his aunt worked as prostitutes, and the young Fred Newsham was lightly educated to the age of ten.
Two beautifully written books reflect on how sports writing was impacted by Neville Cardus (pictured) who became one of the best-paid journalists in history
Swooning over Lasith Malinga
On any other working Friday, the toss wouldn’t have held much significance. But this was different. Lasith Malinga was playing his final ODI, and had Bangladesh batted first, which Tamim Iqbal later said they were certain to do had they won the toss, Malinga’s final 10 overs may have played out in front of a half-empty R Premadasa Stadium. Not a disaster, but certainly anti-climactic.
However, as it turned out, Bangladesh didn’t win the toss, they didn’t bat first, and as the Sri Lankan innings started to wind to a close, the fans filtering in late were even treated to a rare a Malinga batting excursion.
Selectors in Crisis!! … December 1974: if Thomson does not get You, Lillee will!
Who we gonna call? England’s tour think tank, Alan Smith and Alec and Eric Bedser (from left), on the plane to Adelaide after the Perth Test Patrick Eagar / © Getty Images
THEIR SOLUTION: 41 yer-old Colin Cowdrey !!! …. http://www.thecricketmonthly.com/story/1008601/call-in-colin
With Sanga as President-Designate of the MCC the best is yet to come
Rohan Wijeyaratna, in Island, 25 May 2019 where the title runs “THE BEST IS YET TO COME”
Men with disciplined minds, set their sights on far loftier goals than others given to average thinking. Such are the virtues that have made Kumar Sangakkara become what he now is.
Kumar Sangakkara has played many a fine inning in his time. They have spanned across every notable playing field and every nook and cranny worth knowing on the cricket map. They have stretched across all types of the game – from Tests to ODIs, to the T20s. In each of them, his performances have won him accolades from men of discernment. Be it with bat or lip, he has made his mark. His opponents know only too well how fiendishly difficult it is to match him – be it at play or at his lip and intellect, either singly or in combination.
Duleep Criticises Step-Motherly Treatment of Associate Nations for Present World Cup
Rex Clementine
Sri Lanka was the first Associate nation to beat a Full Member of the ICC in World Cups when they overcame India in 1979. Duleep Mendis was their hero with a stunning 64 off 57 balls. He laments the lack of opportunities for Associate nations in the upcoming World Cup. ICC Cricket World Cups over the years have sprung quite a few surprises. There have been several instances of David overcoming Goliath at the sport’s showpiece event.
Sri Lanka overcame a star studded Indian side comprising Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar in 1979 and two years later they were granted Test status. Zimbabwe argued their case well in the 1992 edition when chicken farmer Eddo Brandes ran through England’s strong batting unit. A few months later they were granted Test status too. Bangladesh put up a grand show to beat eventual runners-up Pakistan in 1999 tournament and that was good enough reason for then ICC boss Jagmohan Dalmiya to grant them Test status.
No Welcome Mat for Jofra Archer in England Squad?
On the eve of England’s World Cup squad announcement, the name Jofra Archer seems to be on everybody’s lips, and not always in the most welcoming way. The Barbados-born Archer, who recently qualified to represent England, has plenty of supporters, but number of his prospective team-mates have expressed reservations. Here’s what they had to say – on both sides of the argument.
The Aloysian INVINCIBLES of 1956/57
Johnny de Silva
The invincible SAC cricket team in the 1956-57 season carried all before them becoming the unofficial Southern Group champions for the first time. Melvin Dias kept wickets for the St John’s Panadura and the Mahinda matches while I was ‘behind the stumps’ for the St Servatius’, St Sebastians’ and Richmond College matches.
Standing l-to-rt: Oswin Silva, Melvin Dias, Nalin Peiris, D. Jayanetti, Vinnie Vedamuttu, Roy Vanderpuut, Shiraz Cassim, Cedric Auwardt, Johnny de Silva,
Seated: Carlyle Rodrigo, Vernon Regis, Coach Marcus Jayasinghe, Skipper Mohamed Anwer, Michael Roberts, Lakshman Abeysundera
We defeated St Servatius’ College Matara by 165 runs, St Sebastians’ College outright by 5 wickets, Richmond College by an innings and 23 runs, St John’s College Panadura by 1 wicket on the first innings and Mahinda by 72 runs in the most awaited encounter of the season.
All players were awarded their Cricket Colours that year in recognition of the signal achievement of becoming the unofficial Southern Group cricket champions and for having played all matches in the true spirit of the game.
**** ****
VALE: Coach MARCUS, Carlyle, Lakshman, Shiraz, Vinnie, Melvin, Oswin, Nalin, Roy are no longer with us … but we shall remember them.
A FURTHER NOTE: An year or so before this snap was taken I was among the lads in the Aloysian cheering party watching the Walles brothers, Anwer, Noel Edema. Somapala and others taking on the mighty teams from Richmond and Mahinda. The cheering squad was led by Royle Barthelot and Percy Abeysekera, (subsequently known, loved and hated as “Pissu Percy”). Among the chants were
* Walles Patau, Goni Goni
- Gahapan Machan, Boundary Boundary
These were memorable moments ….. among them the century collected by Mohamed Anwer versus Mahinda if my memory is on the spot. Mahinda then had the Amendra brothers and both DH and DP de Silva in their team. Anwer, I stress, was an astute captain and a sportsman to the hilt. Our success in 1956 was due in good measure to his guiding hand, with important inputs from coach Marcus. Seniors Carlyle and Vernon were critical elements. As important for our triumphant journey was the fielding — -with Cedric at slip and one Johnnie behind the stumps taking some terrific catches.
*** ***
A NOTE to a Fellow-Richmondite from Nandasiri Jasentuliyana
Prasad:
Memories! I played with all of them and 1955 to 1958 and captained with Michael Roberts in 1957. Unfortunately, I was a member of the young 1956 team that got thrashed by SAC! The following year we nearly made amends when time ran out with 30 runs to be made with 5 wickets in hand! ………………………
Nandi.
Nandasiri (Nandi) Jasentuliyana …. President Emeritus, International Institute of Space Law……..Former Deputy Director-General, United Nations, and Director, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
A FURTHER NOTE by Michael Roberts, 16 February 2020
In attaching two news clippings from that era let me add further details about the Richmond match …dredged from my memory. I recall walking out to bat when we were in dire straits; but it ws Carlyle who shaped the recovery. Our victory, however, was due to
(A ) Anwer Jawath’s astute captaincy;
(B) our use of what we called “leg theory” at a moment in cricket history when you had no field restrictions behind the line of square leg …. with Roy Vanderputt bowling slow/medium pace left-arm round the wicket towards the batsman’s legs and Vernon Regis bowling right-arm fast medium round the wicket down the line of the body;
And, last but not least,
(C) excellent catching -with Carlyle (or was it Cedric?) and keeper Johnny snaffling two sliding hook shots …. while one Michael at gully calmly pouched a shoulder height catch off the left-handed opening bat with Vernon the bowler;
and (D) Lakshman Abeysesundera — easily our worst fielder –pouching two catches at cover point off Vanderputt when the latter strayed down the vacant off side
LEG THEORY = two fielders on the off at mid-off and cover point;………AND …… seven on the leg: 3 leg slips; deep fine-leg; deep square-leg; short mid-wkt; midon.
PS: I believe one Nandi de Silva, a bright spark and budding hero if ever there was one, was caught by Jayanetti when he hooked Vernon in the air.
POST MORTEM …. the death of leg theory THEREAFTER
Anwer’s leg-theory tactics was nothing like that of Jardine and Larwood’s leg theory. Vernon Regis was medium pace and on those matting-on-turf wickets was nowhere near a threatening Larwood. The leading Richmondites batsmen were mostly outed because they took Regis on and were caught out; while two of their top order were tempted by the vacant of -side and slashed at Vanderputt and sent he ball to one of the only fielders in that vast space.
BUT leg-tthoery was a no-no. The Principla of Mahinda College phoned his Aloysian counterpart and told him in no uncertain terms that they would not tolerate such cricket. So: we cricketers were summoned to Fr Kotaa Peiris’ room with Fr Morelli present and Anwer in position and informed that we would not be deploying that strategy. There was no room for debate; it was an order.
PS : We beat Mahinda that year …. without any leg-theory.
PPS: Both wins, I insist, were fair and square. That against Richmond remains in my memory as a concerted work of genius.
** Note that an earlier version of this pot pourri item can be found in https://quadrangle.lk/the-aloysian-invincibles-of-1956/