DESILVA_PROFILE_SEP1995

Graham Cowdrey ,son of the famous former England captain and Marleybourne Cricket Club chairman, Sir Colin Cowdrey describes Sri Lanka`s Test batsman Aravinda de Silva as God after the "Lan- kan master blaster`s" epic century in the

01-Jan-1970

This article was taken from Ceylon Daily News Internet edition

Wednesday 06, September 1995

ARAVINDA IS GOD, SAYS GRAHAM COWDREY

by Elmo Rodrigopulle

Aravinda de Silva is god. That is how Graham Cowdrey ,son of the famous former England captain and Marleybourne Cricket Club chairman, Sir Colin Cowdrey describes our own `master blaster` after his epic century in the Benson and Hedges final for Kent against Lancashire at Lord`s.

Cowdrey describes de Silva in his column titled `Kent`s Viewpoint`, for the Crickter International September edition.

The writer says that Ian Botham who was the adjudicator at that final had been contemplating giving the Gold Award to Lancashire captain Michael Atheron for his innings of 93 and that if that had happened there would have been a riot. De Silva was the first player to receive such an award after being on the losing side.

Cowdrey says that at one time it looked as though de Silva would have steered them to victory all by himself the way he was tearing into the bowling.

He describes de Silva, as a five - foot, two - inch genius and says that watching him on TV doing his act, lying on the physio`s couch in the dressing room de Silva was phenomenal.Wasn`t he? He also asks. Has there ever been a finer innings played in a one - day final at Lord`s?

Graham Cowdrey and de Silva had been in a 61 - run partnership for the fourth wicket for Kent and looked to be taking their side to victory, when a sudden rush of blood made Cowdrey sweep and be ruled leg before wicket.

The Cricketer magazine also has an article on de Silva which is headlined: `De Silva`s shining example in which the writer says that de Silva has done more to further the cause of Sri Lanka cricket than any board directive could do.