D. D. P. Alwis – a fine all-round sportsman and cricket coach-by Upananda Jayasundera

D. D. P. Alwis

D. D. P. Alwis is a fine all-round sportsman who excelled in cricket, football and hockey for Dharmaraja College and is currently a senior cricket coach at the SSC School of Cricket.

He has been working at the SSC Cricket Academy under Chief Coach Carlton Bernardus as the Senior Coach. Alwis has been involved in coaching in the academy for the last 16 years.

After leaving school he continued playing cricket and his cricket career spanned over 45 years and during this period he represented his alma mater, Sri Lanka Schools and Kandy Cricket Club in the Donovan Andrew Trophy Cricket Tournament.

After joining the Sri Lanka Air-force, he played in the Premier League Sara Trophy Tournament from 1971 to 1981.

He was known to be one of the hardest hitters at school level and this was clearly proved by the fact that in 1967 he hit M. Rahuman of Zahira College, Colombo for 30 runs in one over including four sixes, one four and two runs.

In the same year, Alwis hit a fine knock of 72 runs and helped the Rajans to register their first-ever victory over S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia.

He also went on to take three for 20 and the Thomians were dismissed for 130 runs in the first innings.

When Alwis joined the Sri Lanka Air-force he played alongside Dr. Cyril Ernest, Dr, Nihal Gurusinghe, Tony Opatha, Brian Obeyesekera, Ajith Jayasekera to name a few.

Alwis has a record of playing for Old Rajans in the Col. Steel Olcott Cricket Tournament from the inaugural year in 1999 and led the team to their first victory in 2001.

He also represented the Defence Services from 1978 to 1980 and he represented the Up-country and Central Province Cricket Teams under Bertie Gomes in 1968.

Before Joining the Air-Force, he played against Madras and Pakistan Cricket Teams. At Air-Force, he played hockey from 1971 to 1982, captaining the team in 1979 and he played for the Defence Services and toured India in 1981.

He was also in the national pool in 1979. In football, he captained his alma mater in 1967 to victory at the Central Province Football Tournament.