Sri Lanka Cricket has honoured two of the country’s most respected cricketing figures, Michael Tissera and Anura Tennekoon, with Lifetime Achievement Awards, recognising their distinguished service during a formative period in which Sri Lankan cricket was steadily establishing its identity on the international stage.
The honour has been warmly welcomed by members of the Sri Lankan community, including Ramesh Schaffter and Prakash Schaffter, whose tributes emphasised not only the two former captains’ sporting achievements, but also the dignity, humility and integrity with which their lives have been conducted.
For a nation whose cricketing success is now followed by supporters across Australia, the United Kingdom, North America, New Zealand and many other parts of the world, the recognition of Tissera and Tennekoon carries significance beyond a single awards ceremony. Their careers belong to an earlier and more demanding chapter, when Sri Lanka was competing with ambition and discipline while seeking to gain broader international recognition.
Two Thomians at the heart of Sri Lanka’s cricketing story
Michael Tissera and Anura Tennekoon share an important educational connection as alumni of S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, an institution with a rich sporting tradition and a substantial contribution to Sri Lankan cricket.
The school has produced generations of cricketers who have represented Sri Lanka, yet the association between Tissera and Tennekoon is particularly notable because both became national captains during eras of considerable transition. Their leadership helped demonstrate that Sri Lankan cricket possessed the character, talent and organisational foundations required to compete with established cricketing nations.
In a period before the modern professional structure of international cricket had fully developed, players were required to combine athletic ability with patience, adaptability and a strong sense of responsibility. Captains were expected to serve as representatives of the nation, ambassadors for the sport and mentors to younger players, often in circumstances where resources and opportunities were considerably more limited than they are today.
Tissera and Tennekoon performed those responsibilities with distinction, helping to shape a standard of conduct that continues to influence the sport.
Michael Tissera: a pioneering captain and dependable batsman
Michael Tissera was among the leading figures of Sri Lankan cricket during the pre-Test era, when the national team was still building the reputation that would eventually support Sri Lanka’s elevation to full Test status.
As a captain, he was associated with several important performances against strong international opposition, and his leadership was marked by composure, tactical awareness and a firm belief in the capabilities of Sri Lankan players. His contribution was not confined to captaincy; he was also a capable batsman whose performances provided stability during a period when every international opportunity held particular importance.
Tissera later represented Sri Lanka at the inaugural 1975 Cricket World Cup, where Sri Lanka made its first appearance in the tournament. His participation placed him among the players who carried the country’s cricketing ambitions onto one of the sport’s most prominent stages. He scored 52 against Australia, an innings that remains part of the record of Sri Lanka’s early World Cup participation.
That appearance also illustrated the strength of the S. Thomas’ College connection. Tissera and Tennekoon were both part of a generation of Thomian cricketers who helped bring Sri Lankan cricket to the attention of a wider global audience.
Tissera’s later involvement in cricket administration and team management further extended his service to the sport. His name is also associated with the Sobers–Tissera Trophy, which commemorates the enduring cricketing relationship between Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
Anura Tennekoon: leading Sri Lanka at its first two World Cups
Anura Tennekoon occupies a special place in Sri Lankan cricket history as the captain who led Sri Lanka at its first two Cricket World Cups, in 1975 and 1979.
Those tournaments were played at a time when Sri Lanka was still developing its international presence, and the national side faced opponents with longer-established structures and deeper experience. Tennekoon’s leadership therefore required more than personal performance. He was entrusted with guiding a team that was representing a developing cricket nation before a worldwide audience.
His captaincy reflected a calm and measured approach, while his batting provided valuable support. At the 1979 World Cup, he scored 59 against New Zealand, an important innings that demonstrated his ability to perform under the pressure of a major international contest.
Although Sri Lanka’s early World Cup teams did not possess the depth associated with later generations, their participation was instrumental. Each appearance created experience, strengthened public interest and offered younger cricketers a visible path towards the international game. Tennekoon’s leadership formed part of that essential groundwork.
He was not merely a captain recorded in scorebooks. He was one of the figures who helped establish the traditions, expectations and confidence upon which later achievements would be built.
A tribute centred on character
The recent recognition was shared warmly by Ramesh Schaffter, who described Michael Tissera and Anura Tennekoon as two S. Thomas’ College alumni and Sri Lankan cricket captains who helped put the country on the cricketing map.
Prakash Schaffter also offered a deeply personal tribute, noting that he had known both men for more than 40 years. While their achievements on the field had always been admired, he explained that knowing them personally had created an even greater appreciation for their dignity, humility and integrity.
That observation is especially meaningful because sporting legacies are not measured solely through statistics. Runs, victories and captaincy records provide an essential historical framework, yet the most lasting influence of a leader is often found in the manner in which success is pursued and responsibility is carried.
Tissera and Tennekoon are remembered as gentlemen of Sri Lankan cricket. Their conduct, as much as their performances, helped establish an example for succeeding generations. The tribute from the Schaffters consequently reflects a broader sentiment shared by many who followed Sri Lankan cricket during its early international journey.
A legacy that continues through generations
The Lifetime Achievement Awards provide an opportunity to revisit the foundations of Sri Lankan cricket at a time when the game is followed with enthusiasm by a global Sri Lankan community.
For younger supporters, the careers of Tissera and Tennekoon offer an important historical lesson. International recognition was not achieved overnight. It was developed through the perseverance of players, captains, coaches, administrators, schools and clubs that continued to invest in the game before the rewards became widely visible.
Their story also reinforces the value of school cricket, where discipline, teamwork and leadership are introduced long before players enter the international arena. S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, remains an important part of that narrative, having helped prepare cricketers who carried the school’s traditions into national service.
The recognition of these two former captains is therefore both a celebration of personal achievement and an acknowledgement of collective progress. It honours the men who led Sri Lanka when the country was still finding its place in world cricket, while also reminding present and future players that every generation inherits a responsibility to protect and strengthen the game.
The congratulations offered to Michael Tissera and Anura Tennekoon are thoroughly deserved. Their contribution was instrumental in shaping Sri Lanka’s cricketing identity, and their example remains replete with lessons in leadership, service and sportsmanship.
As Sri Lankan supporters continue to celebrate cricket from Melbourne to London, Toronto to Auckland, and across the world, the achievements of these two distinguished Thomians remain a source of pride. Their Lifetime Achievement Awards recognise not only what they accomplished, but also the values they represented while helping Sri Lanka take its place on the international cricketing map.
Readers can follow more stories about Sri Lankan heritage, sport and community achievement through eLanka News and Articles, the online platform that continues to connect Sri Lankans in Australia and around the world.
Source: Full LinkedIn post URL: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ramesh-schaffter-12bab4210_uncle-michael-and-uncle-anura-are-two-sthomas-ugcPost-7492381398209593344-fJ33/
This article was written based on the source https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ramesh-schaffter-12bab4210_uncle-michael-and-uncle-anura-are-two-sthomas-ugcPost-7492381398209593344-fJ33/, kindly email us at info@eLanka.com.au if any information needs to be corrected.
At eLanka, we respect the rights of creators. If we have used an image you own and you’d like it removed, please email us at info@elanka.com.au and we’ll handle it promptly.
