Fitting send off for a Marian champion. Bernard Rulach accorded a heroes farewell. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports Editor).
Marian’s young and old turned up in large numbers to bid farewell to Bernie Rulach, a former warrior of the little school with giant killing ability in Dehiwala, Sri Lanka.
The funeral service at St. Anthony’s Church in Noble Park was conducted by Fr. Brian Collins, paid tribute to a Sri Lankan great who he knew was a man of exceptional sporting talent apart from a family man that was more introverted after his sporting exploits.
Bernard Rulach, playing second tier school cricket, which in the day, was the norm in that era, played the game well above the level they were, and his extraordinary talent soon had him attracting plenty of interest.
Bernard played in an era of St. Mary’s cricket that had excellent talent in names such as Ronnie Boustead, Tyronne and brother Trevine De Kauwe and many others who played at top level with much respect in domestic cricket.
Boxing above their weight made this school in Sri Lanka special.
Many centuries saw this worldwind left-hand batter scattering every school attack he was up against.
Many who got to witness his batting onslaughts will remember the schools he played against, distraught at the repair bills for broken roof tiles or other building structures around the grounds from his brutal strokeplay which left them overwhelmed.
St. Mary’s, for a little school with a ground in the adjoining suburb in Templars Road in Mount Lavinia, had some extraordinary talent, not only in cricket but other sports like Rugby and Basketball.
Most of us, who either played cricket or Rugby, had a good two kilometre walk to the ground from the bus stop on Galle Road, Mount Lavinia. We were not an affluent school. We considered this as part of our warm-up.
But it was in Boxing and Wrestling they built a feared reputation being dominant over all schools in the country. They dominated these sports through the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s.
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Memories of this goes back to the grit and determination of the schoolboys who were reminded through their education that reaching for the stars will deliver something close, if not all the way, as Bernie achieved. Much against the grain, and odds, due to a flawed system at the time.
During his formative years, Bernie was caught between two sports St. Mary’s excelled at, Cricket and Rugby. He chose the former obviously due to financial constraints, like most Marian’s, who faced limited ability to progress.
According to team-mate Anton Swan, a former Rugby great at school level, and an outstanding swimmer, and Water Polo player at national level who paid tribute to him at the funeral, he said Bernie could have made it at the top level if he chose to pursue both.
Anton Swan was Sri Lanka’s Counsel General for decades in Brisbane and was honoured with an OAM for his Invaluable contribution to Sri Lankans in Australia.
Tributes poured from far and wide to this proud Marian, who commanded respect from all sectors, among them from former Sri Lanka ambassador to Australia S. Skandakumar, a former cricketer at the highest level himself, and Sri Lanka’s Sydney Counsel General Lal Wickrematunge who was also a former opponent against Bernie and an adversary on the cricket fields of Sri Lanka.
I also had accolades from team mate Russell Rajaratnam in Toronto, Canada, former Sri Lanka great Roy Dias, and Tony Amith who played for Moors Sports Club in Sri Lanka. They held him in utmost respect.
Playing in a single one-day game against India led by legendary Ajith Wadekar and a star studded India including Sunil Gavaskar, Bernie made a reasonable impression for his fighting qualities.
He also proved his exemplary talent teaming up with Roy Dias, one of Sri Lanka’s best, to knock off Michael Tissera and David Heyn, the top talent of Sri Lanka cricket at the time, in a Double wicket tournament. It was a concept, way ahead of modern cricket formats that honed individual skills, which Sri Lanka can be proud of.
Bernard Rulach leaves a devoted family that revered him as their hero. He was also, of them.
As Marian’s, he had our utmost respect.
Rest in peace champ. That playing field you so loved, will rest hovering lightly above you.
If you missed Charles’ Sunday Choice last week – here it is! Do it for Dimuth Karunaratne and give him a memorable send off is Sri Lanka’s challenge in the second Test. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports Editor).
