Sri Lanka: Cricket carnival by Janashakthi (15 Oct 1997)

Wednesday 15, October 1997

Cricket carnival by Janashakthi

Daily News

Two exhibition matches of 20 overs each will be played at the NCC grounds on 19th Sunday, play commencing at 9.00 am. One team will be captained by Gerry Gooneratne and D. D. Jayasinghe. In the other match D. S. de Silva and Roy Dias will captain the two teams respectively.

Pen sketches of the players who will take part will be featured in our columns. Pen sketches

Gerry Gooneratne: LHB/SLA. Date of birth: 15.12.1918. St. Joseph's College, Colombo, Saracens.

Represented All Ceylon against All India 1940-1941. Scored 96 versus All India in the unofficial Test at Bombay (Mumbai), India. One of the best cover fielders in the country. Captained Saracens in the premier tournament. Cricket coach of distinction and national coach in 1975. One time a selector and the chairman of the Selection Committee.

D. D. Jayasinghe: LHB/RM. Mahinda College, Galle, Galle CC, Moratuwa SC.

Debut - All Ceylon-New Zealand in whole day international.

Served as a national selector once.

C. I. Gunasekara: Date of birth: 14.7.1920. Royal College Colombo, Sinhalese Sports Club.

Debut - against West Indies. George Headley commented that he hits the ball harder than Everton Weekes.

Captained All Ceylon in 1952. In 1949 scored 71 and 72 in successive innings. Scored 120 against Pakistan. Representing the Combined team Ceylon, India, Pakistan, Australia against MCC he scored 135 in 1952.

Dr. H. I. K. Fernando: Date of birth: 4.1.1933. St. Peter's College, Bambalapitiya, University of Ceylon and NCC.

One of the finest wicket-keepers in Asia. Debut - Gopalan Trophy 1953 in Madras. Captained Ceylon against Indian Universities in 1965 in Madras. Highest score 102 n.o., CCA vs Madras in 1966. In first class matches more than 110 dismissals.

C. T. A. Schaffter: RHB/RFM. Date of birth: 3.4.1930. S. Thomas College, Mount Lavinia, Tamil Union C & AC.

First class debut: Gopalan Trophy. Represented CCA in the inaugural match in 1953 in Madras.

Represented All Ceylon in a whole day international match against MCC in 1954.

He achieved the status of double international, representing Ceylon in both cricket and hockey.

Ranjith Fernando: RHB/WK. Date of birth: 22.9.1944. St. Benedict's College, Kotahena, NCC.

Worthy successor to Dr. H. I. K. Fernando. First Class debut agianst Pakistan representing Board President's XI.

First un-official Test versus MCC in 1969, he scored 45 and 59 n.o.

Captained the national team in Pakistan in 1974, against North West Frontier Province. A member of the World Cup team in 1975.

Anura Tennakoon: RHB/SLA. Date of birth: 20.10.1946. S. Thomaas College, Sinhalese Sports Club.

Debut - Gopalan Trophy in Madras. First unofficial Test against West Indies in 1967. First Sri Lankan player to score a century (101 n.o.) against MCC in 1970.

Scored a brilliant 131 against India in Colombo 1974. In the next Test he scored 169 at the SSC Colombo. Captained Sri Lanka in 1974, against Pakistan in Pakistan. The first player to score a century (101) against West Indies in an un-official Test in 1975. A member of the first World Cup team in 1975 and again represented Ceylon in 1979.

Anuruddha Polonnowita: RHB/SLA. Date of birth: 23.7.1938. Ananda Vidyalaya, Colombo, SSC/Nomads.

First class debut - Represented CCA against Madras, Gopalan trophy in 1960. Unofficial Test - Against MCC in 1962.

One of the best left-arm bowlers that Sri Lanka produced. On his debut took 5 for 45. A member of the unofficial victorious cricket team who beat Pakistan - 1964, Colombo and India - 1965, India.

Michael Tissera: RHB/LBG. Date of birth: 13.3.1939. S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia, NCC.

First class debut - CCA vs Madras, 1959. First un-official Test versus MCC in 1962. Highest score 122 against India in 1965. Scored 100 n.o., for CCA vs Daily Mirror West Indies XI. Captained Ceylon from 1962-1973. Under his captaincy beat Pakistan in 1964 and India in 1965. A member of the first World Cup team in 1975.

Mano Ponniah: RHB. Date of birth - 3.5.1943. S. Thomas' College, University of Cambridge.

Debut against Madras in the Gopalan Trophy match 1964. A fine opening batsman. A member of the All Ceylon team in the first un-official Test in 1964. Represented University of Cambridge and awarded `Blue'.

Nihal Kodituwakku: RHB. Date of birth - 23.12.1940. Royal College, Colombo, SSC.

Debut - Against Madras, Gopalan Trophy in 1967.

Represented SL in the first unofficial Test vs Pakistan in 1967.

A good opening batsman.

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