Bertie Wijesinha cricketer, commentator and coach par excellence – Hafiz Marikar

Bertie Wijesinha

Kandy remembers one-of the top class cricketers Bertie Wijesinha who breathed his last at the age of 96 in 2017. His name was a household name in Sri Lanka whether it was as a cricketer, coach, writer or commentator; he was versatile in every field. He was the son of former Trinity cricketer Alexander Wijesinghe

Bertie has he was popularly known played for S. Thomas’ College Mt Lavinia from 1936-1939 and in that period distinguished himself as an outstanding all-round cricketer. Later he moved to SSC to display his skills and then represented his country from the late 1940s.

He took to cricket commentating where he formed a unique combination with another SSC stalwart Lucien de Zoysa providing ball-by-ball cricket commentaries on radio in an era where television was not even heard of. Their vivid descriptions of play enabled listeners to imagine they were actually at the match.

Wijesinha was a knowledgeable coach from whom many cricketers who went onto wear the national cap benefitted. He also gave a big hand for Trinity College in coaching. He was a fine all-rounder and technically he was very good. All his life he coached with a good heart.

Bertie lived a full life and was one of the greatest and one of the best coaches the country has produced he was an all rounder who bowled off spin and medium pace represented his school from 1936 to 1939. He then moved to SSC, and played for Ceylon in the pre-Test era.

After leaving school,Bertie served on the staff of his alma mater teaching English and succeeding the late Percy Cook as cricket coach. In 1949 he married Dorothy Wijekoon and in the same year joined the Lake House Group where he ended up as the Sport Editor of the Observer. He played for SSC among a galaxy of immortals among whom were Sargo Jayewickreme, F Cde Saram, DS Jayasundera, Mahesh Rodrigo, Ben Navaratne, Lucien de Zoysa, C I Gunasekera and Robert Senanayake. In 1949, Bertie was selected to play against Pakistan at the Colombo Oval and in the first test match Ceylon were routed by the Pakistani fast bowlers Fazal Mahmood and Khan Mohamed. In Ceylon’s scores of 95and 112, only Bertie made a respectable contribution of 29 runs.

Bertie Wijesinha’s contribution to cricket as a coach, sports journalist and commentator have a special place in the hearts of all who knew him. Above all a gentleman to his finger tips, a true son of a great school, played the innings of his life as always with a straight bat till the age of 96. To him all Thomians young and old sing praises. .