Cricket in his genes

Channa Gunasekera, who died aged 77 on Saturday, was a versatile sportsman who took his cricketing genes from his father, Churchill, the first Sri Lankan player to represent an English county. Four of Channa's cousins also played first-class cricket in Sri Lanka, making them one of the foremost cricketing families in the country.

Channa was born on June 23, 1931, exactly 15 years after Len Hutton, who became his role model. His batting, particularly the stroke through the covers, bore Hutton's stamp. A technically-correct right-hand batsman, Channa followed his father by captaining his alma mater Royal College and Sinhalese Sports Club.

He became an automatic choice as an opening batsman for Sri Lanka in the 1950s. He played for his country at the age of 19 and during his career toured India thrice, scoring five centuries in seven matches. He then captained Colombo CC in the division III tournament before coaching both Royal College and Nalanda College. In 1983 he became a national selector.

Channa also excelled in athletics and tennis. He held the Public Schools record for the 120 yards hurdles and on one noteworthy weekend he ran the 4x110 yards relay for his tea firm Brooke Bond in the Mercantile championships, scored 73 not out for SSC in a tournament match against University the next day, and the day after he won a gruelling two-hour Mercantile championship tennis match before rushing back to the University grounds to continue his innings and complete an undefeated century (125) for SSC - an innings which saw him picked for the national side against the touring MCC.

A keen student of the game, Channa also wrote regularly in newspapers on various topics apart from commentating on radio and television. Channa and his father provided the first instance of a father and son duo from Sri Lanka becoming members of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).