Cricket Coach Charlie dies (4 Apr 1997)

Friday 04, April 1997

Cricket Coach Charlie dies

Daily News

Charles (`Charlie' to friends) Warnakulasuriya, who died of a heart attack at the age of 75, yesterday was acclaimed as one of the best cricket coaches produced by Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka cricketers in the calibre of Aravinda de Silva, Asanka Gurusinha, Roshan Mahanama and Hashan Tillekeratne, all went through the basics with Warnakulsuriya whose coaching nursery was lauded by one and all.

"Send your son to Charlie'' became a much oft phrase in cricket circles whenever parents wanted their sons to be taught the rudiments of the game.

The secret of Warnakulasuriya's success as a coach with the juniors, was that he had loads of patience with them. He was a much loved personality who was like a father to the student.

"To me he was the best cricket coach for any beginner,'' said W.A.N. Silva, a close colleague of Warnakulasuriya.

Silva and Warnakulasuriya played together for Notts CC from 1949-51 and then for Moors SC and later for Bloomfield, when they won their first Sara trophy title under Noel Perera in 1963-64.

Warnakulasuriya was an excellent off-spinner and a reliable middleorder batsman who is best remembered for using a broad bat.

At the time of his death, Warnakulasuriya ran a private coaching school at the NCC and was Royal College under 13 coach with Silva. "It was the only thing that kept him going,'' said Silva.

Warnakulasuriya took to cricket coaching after he retired from public service on reaching the age of 60. He served 21 years in the Department of Education and later, five years in the Department of Public Administration.

Warnakulasuriya was such a helpful personality that even during his school days, the principal of Musaeus Practicing School allowed him the rare privilege of continuing his education till the `O' levels.

Warnakulasuriya had great ambitions of seeing his eldest son Sumithra, playing for Sri Lanka one day, but it was not to be. The nearest his son came to representing his country was to be a member of the Sri Lanka team captained by Duleep Mendis which toured Pakistan in 1985-6. That was the saddest period of his life.

Sumithra who is holidaying in Australia is expected to arrive today. Warnakulasuriya is survived by his wife Hema, two sons and two daughters. His funeral takes place on Saturday at Kanatte at 5 p.m. - (S.T.)

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)