Mahela has the makings of a Test cricketer (3 March 1999)

3 March 1999

Mahela has the makings of a Test cricketer

Premasara Epasinghe

Twenty-one-year-old unassuming Mahela Jayawardene became the sixth Sri Lankan Test player to score a double century. He is the youngest Sri Lankan Test player to achieve this unique feat. Going back to statistics Mahela Jayawardene's double hundred against India came off with 426 balls, 602 minutes, with 25 boundaries and two sixes. Like Aravinda de Silva's inimitable style he too entered the three figure mark with a six. Incidentally, his first Test hundred was against New Zealand at Galle last year.

It's rather interesting to note how Jayawardene regained his place this time. He was not a member of the team that toured Australia recently for the Tri Nation Carlton United ODI Series. It was Aravinda de silva's injury that made Mahela to go to Australia, as a replacement. How nicely he took the challenge and obliged his selection. He scored a superb century (120) against England, when chasing a total of 302 and won the match for Sri Lanka.

Soft-spoken Jayawardene, is a technically correct disciplined cricketer with commitment to the game. He is prepared to learn. He is level headed and intelligent. These qualities will help any cricketer to go up in the ladder. Those are some of the qualities I observed about this young cricketer at the inception. :How Ceylinco helped Mahela

I remember vividly the year 1994. I was attached to Ceylinco Group of Companies and working for Deshamanya Lalith Kotelawala and Mr. Daya Senanayake, Chairman and Deputy Chairman respectively. One day, Mr. Daya Senanayake, requested and instructed me to select and nominate two up-and-coming cricketers who will be Sri Lanka's future "Test Caps", to be sent to South Africa with the Bombay Gymkhana Club team, which included two or three former Indian Test players. As I was following school cricket closely and writing the school cricket review for the Daily News, I nominated the two promising youngsters Mahela Jayawardene (Nalanda) and Tilan Samaraweera (Ananda).

Thanks to the initiative taken by Mr. Daya Senanayake and Blue Diamonds, these two youngsters as schoolboys got the opportunity of playing cricket in different types of wickets in South Africa, for nearly two months in 1994/95. As I have seen some of the wickets in South Africa in 1998 some are really fast tracks. I am sure, that the experience and exposure these two players got in South Africa would have helped in some way in their Test careers.

These two young cricketers Mahela Jayawardene and Tilan Samaraweera were given employment later at Seylan Bank, which belongs to the Ceylinco Group.

Two things were in my mind, when I selected and nominated Mahela Jayawardene for the South African tour sponsored by Gymkhana Club Bombay. His cricketing skills and his excellent behaviour patterns on and off the field. I saw a young boy with a big future. I consider Mahela as future Sri Lanka captain material, and I earnestly hope that BCCSL will groom this youngster for Sri Lanka captaincy.

The greatness of a player lies in his humbleness. The more you go higher and higher be humble and nice to people. See that you never forget your past. The moment you forget your past and if your mighty deeds get into your head, gradually your decline will start.

A big bouquet should be paid to the principals and coaches who guided the destinies of Nalanda cricket. Nalanda became a force to reckon within Sri Lanka cricket, due to the silent work rendered by a galaxy of former principals, namely late Mr. D. C. Lauris, late Mr. M. de S. Jayaratne and late Mr. M. W. Karunananda (1947-1960s) and in the recent years by Mr. Gunapala Wickramaratne, Mr. Sugunadasa Atukorala, Mr. Dharma Gunasinghe, Mr. D. G. Sumanasekera.

A special word must be mentioned about coaches Leslie Narangoda and Jayantha Seneviratne who taught the finer points of the game and techniques and the basics of cricket to Mahela Jayawardene for many years, as junior and senior coaches of Nalanda. Narangoda was a guide and teacher to him. It's said to note, a dedicated, knowledgeable coach of Narangoda's calibre, who produced the youngest Sri Lankan Test double centurion, Mahela Jayawardane, was discontinued recently by the school authorities.

In concluding this article I might fail in my duty if I do not mention coach Mr. Gerry Gooneratne and late Mr. T. Kandasamy, the great master-in-charge and prefect of games. They were the two who put Nalanda on the cricketing map of Sri Lanka and abroad.

With the dawn of the month of March, the annual inter-school big matches begin. The curtain opens with the Thurstan-Isipatana cricket encounter. This will be played on March 6 and 7 at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium. This is the 36th big match between the two schools.

The 120th Royal-Thomian encounter, popularly known as the 'Battle of the Blues" will take pride of place, among all the big ones. It's considered as an important date in the sporting calendar of Sri Lanka. This year's match again will be played at the picturesque Sinhalese Sports Club grounds (SSC) on March 11, 12 and 13. The Battle of the Saints - Joe-Pete will be played at R. Premadasa Stadium on 11 and 12. Ananda-Nalanda, Richmond-Mahinda, Trinity-St. Anthonys, Kingswood-Dharmaraja and D. S. Senanayake MV-St. Benedict's big matches will follow. There will be many more big matches that will be played this month.

For all these schools that are engaged in these big ones, it's not only a sporting event, but also a social one. Therefore, it's the duty of school authorities and the old boys of these schools, to see that the game is played not only according to written laws but in harmony with an unwritten code of chivalry and good temper. The true greatness of their "big matches" lies in combat and comradeship combined.

It is true that you must enjoy the carnival atmosphere of a big match. But, remember, not at the expense of the game and others. You must never interrupt the game and disturb the players. I still remember last year's Royal-Thomian. It was very well organised and there was no disturbances to the players or spectators. Friendly atmosphere filled the air. For Royalists and Thomians winning or losing was immaterial. They were concerned about the spirit of the game and how they played it. This should be the order of the day. I wish that the respective captains will have a positive approach to the game.

The big matches can be considered as one of the most memorable events in a child's school career. Therefore, it's the duty of all parents to encourage their sons to witness their school big matches as it's an important extra curricular activity of the school. It's part of education. It's the duty of the principal, staff, prefects, old boys and well-wishers to maintain law and order and discipline and make this event a very happy one for everyone of us.

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