Distinguished Ananda Cricketers of yesteryear (1886 -1960)-By Meghavarna Kumarasinghe
Source:Sundaytimes
In that historic year 1886 a Buddhist High School was started at No. 61, Maliban Street, Pettah for Buddhist Children by Colonel Henry Steel Olcott and C.W. Leadbeater, a foreigner converted to Buddhism became the first Principal. There were 37 students enrolled to the school.
Cricket, in keeping with the English traditions, was the fashionable game in the anglicised Schools during that period. The Buddhist High School took to it, in its infancy. The school produced C.E. Perera, whose cricket brought honour to the country, N.C. Raju, D.J. Wimalasunendra and H.D. Peiris, all of whom wielded the willow with great success. J.G.R. Weerasinghe in 1892 was the first recorded captain of cricket,
The 1911 Ananda College Cricket team
According to past records, the Buddhist High School’s name was changed to Ananda College on August 17, 1895 and also the school shifted to Maradana from Maliban Street. Ananda were champions of the 2nd Division Inter – School Cricket in 1911 and Anandian D.L. Gunasekera Captained the combined Colleges. S.E. Tissera scored 115 runs against St. Benedicts’ and 81 runs against Prince of Wales’.
The above picture of the cricket team is the oldest so far found. In 1911 the team wore the College blazer for the first time. It is on record that Principal M.U. Moore choose the two colours Maroon and Gold for the College flag. The same two colours were used for the College blazer as well. The cloth for the blazers was imported from England and given to the team. Seated second from the right is Principal M.U. Moore. (Courtesy late Mr. G.P. Dhanatunga)
In the 1920s under Principal P. De. S. Kularatne Ananda achieved maturity not only academically but in sports as well, and subsequently he appointed C.E.P. Kumarasinghe as Prefect of Games of the College, in addition to his teaching.
Also in 1920 Ananda was fortunate to own a four-acre play ground in Campbell place (it was shared by both Ananda and Nalanda till 1978). Nalanda Collage was built around the precincts of this ground.
Yatagama Amaradasa
While playing their cricket at Campbell Place Ananda produced a few outstanding cricketers like D.W. Rajapathirana, N.M. Perera and N. De. S. Wijesekera, who were exceptionally good batsmen and B.S. Perera a brilliant allrounder who while still a school boy, played for Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) against the visiting team of the Maharajah of Viziangaram.
Ananda-Nalanda Big Match was first played in 1924 at Campbell Place, which began in a festive manner amidst pomp and pageantry and Anandian’s first captain was K.A.P. Rajakaruna. Ananda College stalwarts to figure in that first encounter were B. Somadasa Perera, (later he joined Nalanda with first batch of students who were transferred from Ananda by Principal P.de.S. Kularatne), N.M. Perera and captain K.A.P. Rajakaruna. It was a mere “home and home” match and nobody bothered very much about the result.
In 1926-27 Ananda captain was W.W. Dep and he second 81 runs and captured 4 wickets in the Big Match. The remarkable bowling of B. Somadasa Perera was a special feature in both these years. In the year 1930-32 G.P. Sumanadasa was captain of the side and he scored the recorded first century in the Big Match. During Sumanadasa’s captaincy there was P.D.H. de Silva, who bagged 15 wickets during the three years that he played the Big Match.
However Sumanadasa’s performance was certainly the best in that year he was honoured by being called upon to lead the combined colleges’ team. Sumanadasa also had the honour of heading in batting averages among school boy cricketers beating F.C. de Saram by a small margin.
E.A. Perusinghe was captain in 1933 Big Match. In that game B.A. Jayasinghe scored a stylish 65 runs and J. Jayasena captured five wickets.
The college crest was designed and introduced by Principal G. P. Malalasekere in 1934. Bandu Bodhinagoda led the first XI team in 1934 and in 1935. One of Ananda’s oldest cricket encounters was with Wesley College, and Ananda supporters at ‘Mariyakade’, turned out in thousands to witness the cricket match at Campbell Park.
Another landmark in Ananda’s forward-march in inter school cricket was the defeat inflicted on S. Thomas’ by B. Bodinagoda’s team in 1934 on their own grounds at Mt. Lavinia. In the same year Ananda won against St. Anthony’s Kandy, Dharmaraja, Zahira and Nalanda.
In the Big Match B.A. Jayasinghe scored a half a century and E. Rajakaruna and V.R. Perera captured 5 wickets each and the team was coached by B.S. Perera.
V. R. Perera who captained in 1936-37 came up with a fine performance when he scored 121 runs against Zahira. In the Big Matches he captured 13 wickets.
Walter Perera who represented the college from 1938 to 1941, captained in 1940. The off spinner established a bowling record in the Big Match by capturing eight wickets for 51 runs. He also represented combined schools cricket team.
M.A. Jayasinghe was captain in 1941. During that period there was an aggressive fast bowler named Togo Sugathadasa, who was feared by the oppositions.
M.A. Jayasinghe, P.W. Perera, L.B.T. Premaratne, P.J. Ranatunge (Paguan), E.W. Balasuriya and B.R. Fernando were prominent members of the team. Swinton Seneviratne a college teacher functioned as coach.
From 1942-1945 there was no cricket at college due to war.
In 1946 Ananda played the Big Match under D.U.D.S. Hevavisenthi. This team included two brothers in Upali and Nissanka de Silva. Upali was a good batsman and Nissanka was an allrounder. During that time Ananda College played friendly matches against prominent first class cricket clubs such as SSC, Tamil Union and CCC. These club matches were normally played during the third term and was captained by Nissanka de Silva. The team included Mervyn Wijesinghe (wicketkeeper/batsman), Sunny Kulatunga (medium pace bowler) and allrounder P.W. Samarasekere (medium fast bowler). Former Thomian cricketer Robert Samarasekere who joined the tutorial staff served as cricket coach.
The 1947 cricket team was captained by D.U. Molligoda. The team also included players such as allrounder K.D.S. Wimalasekere, Bonnie Wijesinghe and Bobby Wickremasinghe. Subsequently Bobby Wickremasinghe led the team in 1948.
In 1949 and 1950 the captain was K.D.S. Wimalasekere and there were good allrounders such as Neil Kulatunge, Bonnie Wickremasinghe and Henry Seneviratne who scored heavily during their school matches. K.D.S. Wimalasekere played his last year under Bonnie Wijesinghe, who played four years continuously and captained in year 1951 and 1952.
In 1951 K.D.S. Wimalasekere scored 60 runs in the Big Match and N. Kulatunga captured six wickets. In the same year L. de Silva scored 57 runs in the Big Match.
Under Henry Seneviratne’s captaincy in 1953 there were good allrounders in the team like U.D. Warryapperuma, G.P. de Silva, Pathmasiri Silva and Dhanasiri Weerasinghe. Pathmasiri Silva took over the captaincy in 1954 and there were number of experienced players in the team. Noel Perera, U.D. Warryapperuma, Mahinda Jayasinghe, Parakrama Molligoda, Ranjan Lecamwasam, Dhammika Ratnayake, R. de S. Weerasuriya and hard hitting batsman Dhanasiri Weerasinghe, who was captain in 1955 and he was fortunate to lead the side with talented cricketers. Stylish right hand batsman Daya Amarasinghe played a pivotal role. Opening bowler Nimal Tammita and spinners Anurudha Polonowita and Palitha Premasiri were the best among the Schools. Bertram de Silva, D. Somasiri, Mahinda Jayasinghe were other good batsmen in the team.
Third-year-player Mahinda Jayasinghe was the captain in 1956 and that side was a balanced and experienced team. Sonny Yatawara was the opening bowler who was very effective and respected. D. Somasiri who scored 80 runs and Daya Amarasinghe scored half a century each in 1956/57 Big Match.
Anurudha Polonowita led the side in 1957 along with the star batting department. There were Daya Amarasinghe, Palitha Premasiri, N.G. Ekanayake, Yatagama Ameradasa and Ananda P. Jayasinghe and famous fast bowler Sunny Yatawara. At the time College team was unbeaten and produced few outstanding players to the country. Third year player Palitha Premasiri was captain in 1958 and there were new young faces among the team namely Parakrama Polonowita, Sarath Wimalaratne and Mohanlal Fernando, who were fortunate enough to play along with players like Nimal Ekanayake, Yatagama Ameradasa and Ananda P. Jayasinghe.
Left-hand bat N.G. Ekanayake — a third year player was captain in 1959 and his deputy was Yatagama Ameradasa. The team consisted Mohanlal Fernando, Sarath Wimalaratne and T.D. Rajapaksa hard hitting batsman and a good fieldsman. In the Big Match captain N.G. Ekanayake and Mohanlal Fernando scored half centuries.
Yatagama Ameradasa was a versatile cricketer during 1957-1961 and in the year 1960 he captained. During that season Ananda played 10 matches and won 7 matches outright. Against S. Thomas’ Mt. Lavinia, Ananda should have won if they had a few extra minutes. In that era, all school cricket matches started at 12 noon on both days. That year for the first time the big match commenced at 10.30am on both days to bring about a decision, but the game was unexpectedly washed off due to rain. In the same year Yatagama was the winner of the prestigious award “Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year” contest organised by the Sunday Times of Ceylon.
In the same contest T.D. Rajapaksa was chosen Best Fielder. In the Big Match Mohanlal Fernando scored 54 runs and captured six wickets. The rest of the team comprised Parakrama Polonowita, Sarath Wimalaratne, Dhramasiri de Silva, Sarath Semasinghe, Rohan de. S. Daluwatte, Lakshman Hewagama, Upatissa Nikapitiya and Kumar de Silva. Yatagama captained the Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) school team that toured India in 1961. Yatagama, Mohanlal Fernando and T.D. Rajapaksa were also selected to play against the West Indies.
During former Anandian cricketer P.W. Perera’s tenure as Ananda’s cricket coach for 10 years (1950-1960) he produced some brilliant players, while the team also was a formidable opponent to any side.
During the early years most cricketers and other sportsmen at Ananda balanced their sports with studies. As a result many of the cricketers became professionals after leaving college.
