Sri Lankan Cricket Team’s Test Matches vs Netherlands and vs Denmark in 1975-by Michael Roberts
Source:Thuppahis
Sri Lanka did not secure ICC cricket status till mid-1981. An important step in the progress towards this entitlement was the tour of England in mid-1975 with KMT Perera as Manager and Anura Tennekoon as skipper. The details of this tourcan be found in Michael Roberts & Alfred James: Crosscurrents. Sri Lanka and Australia at Cricket, Sydney, Walla Walla Press & Mobitel, 1998, pp. 88-94.
Seated l-to-r
David Heyn, Anura Tennekoon, KMT Perera. Mihael Tissera, Ranjit Fernando
Standing l-to-r Duleep Mendis, Lalith Kaluperuma, Sunil Wettimuny, Tony Opatha, HSM Pieris, DS de Silva, Dennis Chanmugam, Anura Ranasinghe, Bandula Warnapura
What is little known, however, is the fact that the same squad played two Test Matches …. Yes, Test Matches …. against the Netherlands and against Denmark as a tack-on after the exacting ODI games in England. This aspect of the tour has been brought to my attention by one of the tour party Mevan Pieris who benefited from David Heyn’s assiduity in keeping the scoring sheets depciting the outcome of these matches…………. Michael Roberts
NOTE from Mevan Pieris, 26 December 2023
After the World Cup matches were over, the 1975 Sri Lanka team went across to Netherlands and Denmark and played an unofficial test match against these two countries for the first time. With that the tour ended. Sri Lanka won both matches which were played on matting. The scorecards may interest you. I was particularly happy with the match against Denmark as I ended up as the only Sri Lankan bowler to take 5 wickets in an innings in the entire tour. I retired from international cricket soon afterwards as I was experiencing trouble with my left knee.
437-misc42112revised Netherlands vs Sri Lanka
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ADDENDUM: Unusual Preparations for the Sri Lankan Squad’s Tour of England & Europe in Mid-1975:
Sri Lanka’s Cricketing Authorities revealed considerable enterprise in the training of the tour group. One step was directed towards their acclimatization tolay ping cricket in much colder climes. The team was despatched to Radella near Nuwara Eliya in the high hill-country to practice in a chillier environment.
These practices were marshalled with a military touch. Raja Wickremasinghe, a former Richmondite and Peradeniya University cricketer who was in the SL Airforce, was employed as a kind of regimental sergeant-major to drill discipline and backbone in their practices.
We, NOW, await amusing anecdotes about this training period from those members of the squad who are still in the land of the living.
Thuppahi is privileged … courtesy of one Anura Tennakoon …. to present a unique photograph of the squad (less two well-equipped guys with cars) assembled beside a double-decker that bore them to Darrawela.
Standing l-to-rt: David Heyn, Roy Dias, sarath Fernando, Neil Perera (Asst Manager)… Raja Wickremasinghe (Fitness Trainer), KMT Perera (Manager)
Squatting l-to-right: Duleep Mendis, Bandual Warnapura, Ajit De Silva, Anura ransinghe, Lalith Kaluperuma, Dennis Chanmugam, DS de Silva, Ranjit Fernando, Tony Opatha, HSM Pieris
NOT PRESENT: Sunil Wettimuny and Michael Tissera who were travelling to Nuwara Eliya by car at this stage.
Photo of the upgraded Radella cricket grounds in early 2023 ….an upgrade to aid the SL cricketers acclimatize for New Zealand conditions
