26th JUNE IS WELL KNOWN PETERITE CRICKETER DAVID HEYN’s 77th BIRTHDAY

The Melbourne SPC OBU wish David “Happy Birthday” …..and thank him for his contribution to Sri Lanka Cricket.

David Heyn, a left-handed middle-order batsman and an outstanding fielder in the covers, was born on this day in 1945.

Peter David Heyn, born on 26 June 1945, played for St Peter’s College from 1961 to 1964, captaining the team in 1964. He played for Ceylon/Sri Lanka from 1966 to 1976. Heyn made his international debut for Ceylon in November 1966 when he was selected for the first unofficial four-day Test played at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

Heyn, who scored 69 runs against the West Indies in January 1967, stood up courageously to the menacing pace of Hall and King and went on to give an exhibition of quick run making getting his first 25 runs in even time. Heyn’s 69 was scored with 10 boundaries in 131 minutes. He top scored with an unbeaten 49 in the first innings against a bowling attack comprising Asif Masood, Sarfraz Nawaz, Asif Iqbal and Intikhab Alam in November 1972. Heyn toured Pakistan under the leadership of Anura Tennekoon in March and April 1974. He made 70 runs in the first unofficial Test played at the Gaddafi Stadium, in Lahore.

The highlight of his career was the 1975-76 tour to India. He made 104 and 84 in the first unofficial Test played in Hyderabad against an India bowling attack comprising the legendary spinners Chandrasekhar, Prasanna, and Bedi. The second unofficial Test was played at the Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad. He took three wickets for 24 in the first innings and opened the bowling in the second innings and finished with one for 15. He made 31 and 57 in the third unofficial Test in Nagpur and also opened the bowling with Tony Opatha. Heyn was named among the four Indian Cricket Annual “Cricketers of the Year” in 1976 alongside S. Amarnath, D.S. de Silva and D. Vengsarkar. Heyn played his last international for Sri Lanka when Pakistan toured in 1976.

(Extract from “Ceylon Cricketers”)