Michael Roberts
An AI NOTE which cropped up when I searched for information on the father of the Wettimuny cricketing brothers whose house, down Park Road between Thurstan Road and Duplication Road in Colombo, I had visited way back in the past … and whose hospitality in typical Lankan manner remains deeply etched in mind.
I was not aware of Wettimuny Senior’s passion for cricket and his work in establishing an indoor cricketing school.
I remain astonished by AI’s reach:
THE ANSWER From AI
Key Facts About Ramsay Wettimuny & The Family
- The Cricket Catalyst: Ramsay became deeply fascinated by cricket and the mechanics of batting during a professional visit to England. He meticulously studied C.B. Fry’s 1912 book Batsmanship, even typing out copies of it to rigorously train his sons on technical proficiency from a young age. He went on to open one of Sri Lanka’s first indoor cricket schools. [1, 2, 3]
- The Brothers: His strict, textbook guidance produced three legendary opening batsmen for Sri Lanka—Sunil, Mithra, and Sidath. He actually had five sons in total, including Ranjan and Nimal (who also played high-level club/school cricket). [1, 2]
- Mithra’s Passing: As you accurately noted, the second son, Mithra Wettimuny, is sadly no longer with us. He passed away in January 2019 at the age of 67. Mithra and Sidath famously made history in 1983 by becoming the first pair of brothers to open a Test match innings together since the Grace brothers in 1880. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
- The Paternal House: The family home you mentioned—located in the affluent Cinnamon Gardens (Colombo 7) area just off Thurstan Road—served as the foundational training ground where the brothers practiced under their father’s watchful eye. [1, 2]
Would you like more information regarding Mithra’s cricketing career or details about the indoor cricket school his father established?
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Wikipedia**************************************Sidath Wettimuny – WikipediaFamily. Wettimuny was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 12 August 1956, the third son of Ramsey Wettimuny, who later became chief engi…The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka ………….. Then came a golfing Wettimuny – Sunday Times 10 Dec 2006 — It was their father Ramsay Gregory de Silva Wettimuny, a keen cricketer and an ardent promoter, who helped them at grassroots level
…….SANJAY WETTIMUNY…Golfer …. SEE https://www.sundaytimes.lk/061210/Sports/sp406.html……………………. BUT this news item does not seem to know that SHAMARA WETTIMUNY … Sidath’s daughter has been a classy golfer in the women’s arena [while also acquiring a D.Phil in History at Oxford University]
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Ramsey Wettimuny was my neighbor when we lived at Park Road Havelock Town and was married to a cousin of mine.Subsequently we became more closer when his brother Wilson married my sister Janaki.
Ramsey, apart from his love for cricket, was a deep student of Buddhism and authored a book on Buddhism and spent much time in studying the Dhamma. He passed away in his early forties stricken with a kidney problem.
As you have stated Mike his love for cricket was so great he established an Indoor Net at the old Health Grounds in Castle Street and got the late R.B Wijesinhe, whom we all know was a cricketer of great repute and who represented Sri Lanka internationally, to coach his gifted sons — a step which certainly paid dividends
It was when he was Chief Engineer of the Ceylon Transport Board that he was responsible for putting up a Cricket Ground for the CTB down Park Road.The cricket ground is even now put to use for sports activities. It was he along with the then Chairman of the CTB, the late Vere de Mel, who were responsible for getting Double Decker Buses courtesy of the London Transport Board.