Michael Roberts
I came across this unusual photograph in loose-leaf form amidst my files and lata pata in my study. David Sansoni in Sydney has rendered it more presentable, while Mevan Pieris has provided me with critical information on this unusual club and pointed me to pertinent data in that classic work by SS Perera reproduced as The Janashakthi Book of Sri Lanka Cricket (Colombo 1999).
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Uditha Devapriya & Uthpala Wijesuriya, in https://scroll.in/where the title reads thus: “Cricket, class and baila: The many layers of Sri Lanka’s celebrated Royal Thomian sports encounter”
With an unbroken 145-year streak, the face-off between two of the island-nation’s oldest schools has become a cultural rite of passage for the nation’s elite.
Prefects leading a cheer at the 144th Royal Thomian, 2023. |
Uthpala & Uditha … in match fervour
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Skipper Chamari Aththapaththu’s 195 runs in 139 balls at a strike/rate of 140.28 nullified the benefits of Laura Wolfvaardt’s 184 runs in 147 balls; …. and enabled Sri Lanks’s female cricketersto overhaul the Saf total of 301 for 5 wkts in some comfort in 44.3 overs.
Michael Roberts
Amidst the hot news in Australia relating to the knife-wielding nutcase and his killings at Bondi in Sydney, I watched snatches of the web-reportage on the match between the Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Superkings (CSK) in the IPL tournament. The latter event was high-scoring, topsy-turvy, turbulent and fascinating. In point-form let me highlight some remarkable performances.
Nitin Jain, in 2010 at “Freshinspirations” …. on 22 July …. where the title reads “Muralitharan scaled unprecedented & inspirational heights!” …. reproduced here with highlighting imposed and some more Pix and some references
Prodigious spin propelled by an abnormally strong wrist and an iron resolve forged in bitter acrimony over his unique action took Muttiah Muralitharan to unprecedented heights in world cricket. Muralitharan, 38, took his 800th test wicket with his final ball in 133 tests on Thursday. With Twenty20 cricket cutting increasingly into the test programme it is a mark that is unlikely ever to be exceeded.
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Krishantha Prasad Cooray, in The Island, 7 April 2024, where the title runs thus: “Michael Tissera at 85: Gentlemen’s gentleman” ….. with highlighting imposed by The Editor, Thuppahi
Michael Tissera with his children and grandchildren
When people who have the same first name meet up, there’s name-related humour. The more, the merrier, obviously, especially if they are good friends and enjoy friendly banter. Today I am thinking of three people who share the name Michael: Michael Tissera, Michael Sproule and Michael De Zoysa, all three who played cricket for St Thomas’ College, Mt Lavinia. The first of course is the bigger name associated with the gentleman’s game.
Rex Clementine in Sunday Island, 7 April 2024, where the title reads thus:
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the appointment of the first ever Cricket Interim Committee. Ironically, the man who was chosen to Chair that committee, although a keen follower of the game, had little experience in its administration. Rienzie T. Wijetilleke is his name.
Orders to appoint Wijetilleke, then the Chairman of Hatton National Bank, came directly from the Country‘s President, Chandrika Kumaratunga who was well acquainted with his “no nonsense” approach to discipline and accountability.
Bradman struggles against Sathi Coomaraswamy
The Ceylon Team walks out to field
The last cricketing appearance by Don Bradman in Sri Lanka was at the Colombo Oval on March 31, 1948, before a capacity crowd of 20,000. The Australian Team was on their way to England for the Ashes series and stopped over in Colombo to play a one-day game against what was then called the All Ceylon XI – captained by M. Sathasivam. The game was characterized by two major controversies. The first was on the captaincy of the Ceylon team which many thought should have gone to the more experienced and accomplished F.C. de Saram. T. B. Marambe in his book “Pen sketches of our cricketers” thought that “de Saram clearly had not had sufficient contact with the common man” and the selectors preferred the popular Sathasivam instead.
Mahinda Balasuriya in ESPNcricinfo, 3 April 2024, where the title runs thus: “Sri Lanka wrap up 192-run win to complete series sweep”
Sri Lanka did not take long on the fifth morning to pick up the remaining three Bangladesh wickets • Getty Images
Percy Abeysekera aka “Pissu Percy” has, alas, passed away; but, as we celebrate good cricket this week pursued in Bangladesh where Sri Lanka was led by a man from the south nurtured in Richmond College, we can savour the world of cricket with Percy of St. Aloysius and Sri Lanka.
Taken at the 5th and final one day match between Sri Lanka and England at the R Premadasa stadium on the 13-Oct-2007. A bespectacled, 62-year-old grandfather, Percy Abeysekera is perhaps Sri Lanka’s most exuberant supporter.
Photographer/Owner: Chamil Thanthrimudalige
thuppahi
