Cricket in the desert by Clifford Lazarus
It was late in the evening, March 17, 1975, when former Nationalised Services and ex-Josephian cricketer, Sunitha Goonetilleke, looked anxiously to the skies for the first-ever Air Ceylon Avro charter to arrive in Oman carrying 73 Sri Lankans.
Passionate about cricket, Sunitha arrived in Oman in 1973, joined by another pioneer and ex-Air Ceylon colleague, Padma Leanage. Stationed at the Seeb International Airport, Sunitha made friends with cricket-crazy Afzal Chaudry from Pakistan, whose duty was to meet staff recruited for construction firm, Skanska. Finding common ground in the sport, the two gentlemen laid the foundation for the first-ever cricket tournament to be launched in the Sultanate – the Skanska Cup!
Sunitha teamed with other airline and airport staff including the late Michael Raj (former Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year and ex-St Anthony’s College, Katugastota) whose brother, Charles (fondly known as CPP Raj ex-BRC), also in Oman at the time and played for Sri Lanka Under 19 before the island nation achieved test status.
Cricket in Oman was dominated by Pakistan and Indian expatriates and Sunitha’s wish for a Sri Lankan team to confront them was taking shape, however dampened when his search revealed just two cricketers on the Avro charter: Kumar Lawrence and Clifford Lazarus, who were quickly conscripted into the fledgling squad. Thereafter, Sunitha sounded his airline colleagues: Vijitha Jayasinghe and Padma Leanage to scout for talent amongst the Sri Lankans arriving in subsequent charter flights – the new arrivals boosting numbers for the formation of Sinha CC – the Sri Lankan representative cricket team in Oman.
The inaugural cricket tournament in Oman began on November 7,1975 sponsored by Swedish construction firm, Skanska, dominated by former Pakistan first-class cricketers. Teams included National Bank of Oman – a mix of ex-Pakistan and Indian cricketers, Muscat Cricket Club (former Ranji trophy players) and the newly formed Sinha CC (all former schoolboy and talented softball players). The first two teams were sponsored by their employers and Muscat CC was bank-rolled by the Gokuldas conglomerate. Sans sponsor or backer, the eager Sri Lankan players pooled their resources to fund Sinha’s gear and tournament fees. In a country where most Omanis at the time commuted on donkeys and open pick-up trucks, Charles performed yeoman service transporting the players for practices and matches in his Volkswagen van while Mike tutored his young daughters – Jackie and Sharmila in scoring duties.
The 1975 curtain raiser played at the PDO ground in Ras al Hamra pitted tournament favourites Skanska against minnows Sinha. Captained by Mike Raj for their first game in the desert, the young Lankan team won many hearts and fans with their daredevil display of fielding, not afraid to dive in the desert sand. Rashid, Perry Tissavirasingham, Tilak Wekunagoda, Dharmasiri Ehelepola and Jayantha Jeevaratnam led the cheering squad reminiscing the “big match” scene of Sri Lanka.
Charles Raj set the ground alight with a fantastic allround display supported by the bowling of Sunitha Goonetilleke and the heroics of Kumar Buell and Sathikumar Fonseka. Charles unleashed his repertoire of strokes to the delight of all fans, his team rallying around him as Sinha pulled off a stunning upset over Skanska and repeated its success in the second game against Muscat CC before falling at the last hurdle to eventual champions – National Bank of Oman. From this point onwards, Sinha was respected not only for its cricketing prowess but also for its sportsmanship and camaraderie – with the motto “no matter whether you win or lose, it is how you play the game”!
In subsequent years Sinha went on to win several trophies in various divisions featuring the late Bandula de Silva (Cambrian and ex Colts), Anton Benedict, Kevin Balthazaar, Rohan Wijesinghe, Chandana Fonseka, Ranjithkumar Benjamin, late Sandy Hamid, Suraj Fernando, Philip Navaratne, Kasi Navaratnam, late Rex Fernando (St Benedicts and Adastrians), Lalith Fernando, Dilip Iddamalgoda, Gratian Karunaratne, Boni Fernando, Frank Hubert (St Peter’s and BRC), Darrel Brohier, Maurice Steinwall, Desmond Young, Tissa Dias, Lateran Fernando, Suraj Fernando, Anoja Tillekeratne, Tiny Mohothar, Primus Denipitiya, Desmond don Paul, Lloyd Patternott, Patrick Jansz, Gale de Kauwe, Jagath Perera, Sujeewa Dahanayake, Vasantha Hettiarachchi, Andre Spittel, Cholomondoley Abeysuriya, Romesh de Silva, Rohan Goonetilleke, Sriyantha Premachandra, Sriyantha Fernando, L.A.W. de Silva, Rangajeewa Perera, Nalinda Karunaratne, Gihan Karunaratne, Brian Dissanayake, Lalith Soysa, Ricardo Wickremasinghe, Quintus Ratnam and Madhawa Warnapura – to name a few. An abundance of talent also led to the formation of Sinha “B” led by the indefatigable Desmond don Paul, whose shrewd cricketing brain earned the team many titles in lower divisions. The Old Joes and Old Petes too played five encounters – the first two in 1984 and 1985, won by the Joes, and on its revival in 2012, the Petes won three encounters in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
The mantle of keeping the team going over the years fell on the shoulders of former Sri Lankan national football player, Suraj Fernando, who ensured Sinha’s continued presence in the Premier division, winning many trophies, until his departure to Sri Lanka in 2018, after which Sinha wound up.
Today, despite not fielding a Sri Lankan team, the island nation’s contribution to Oman cricket continues with Duleep Mendis, the current coach of the Oman national team, who has enabled the gulf state to gain Test status and also to play in the qualifying rounds for the next limited World Cup tournament.
(Clifford Lazarus – was in Oman from 1975 to 2014)
