Senior Gurusinghe took post WW I cricket by storm – By Ruhunu Puthra

Source:Island

The late Gurusinghe, the grandad of Asanka Gurusinghe the All Ceylon cricketer, was a sportsman of no mean repute. He represented Mahinda College, Galle and the Galle Cricket Club at cricket. In 1910 he captained the college football team. The late E.M Karunaratne, popularly known as E.M.K, the Patron Saint of Galle Cricket, recounts in his write-up ‘Cricket Down South’ in the year 1929, some of Gurusinghe’s memorable cricket feats.

He rates Gurusinghe as the best left arm bowler produced by Southern Ceylon after D. Robertson, the champion trundler. On January 5, 1914, Gurusinghe played for the Southern Province Team led by the evergreen batsman M.S. Gooneratne in the second test against the Australians led by Rev. E.F Waddy, the famous Sydney University and New South Wales cricketer. This was the first time that an Australian team had come to play serious cricket in Ceylon.

The breakout of World War I in August 1914 was a serious setback for cricket and soon was on the decline in the whole of the Southern Province. By the beginning of 1920, the World War was a thing of the past and cricket was again in full swing. In April 1920 a fairly strong Combined Mercantile Team from Colombo including the peerless S.R Titus, S.S Perimpanayagam, Harry Perera, Bekelman, A.C Wijeratne and Godwin Juriansz met disaster at the hands of a team composed mainly of Galle C.C. men, led by E.M.K.

The visitors who were quite a First Class side were dismissed for 14 runs in their first innings – Gurusinghe and Fernando playing havoc with the batsmen! It was evident from the total of 14 runs that the two bowlers had performed a sensational bowling feat!

The homesters played: ‘ducks and drakes’ with the formidable bowling of the visitors by piling up the respectable score of 280 runs. Titus, Harry Perera, Perimpanayagam and Bakelman were generally regarded as First Class bowlers.

In the second innings Gurusinghe and Fernando did not bowl and yet the visitors realized only 55, more than half of which came off the bat of Titus who had the misfortune to be given out for nought by the umpire, but was asked by E.M.K to continue his innings in response to the unanimous wish of the spectators, keen on seeing his graceful batting. Galle thus won this match by an innings and 211 runs!

On October 2, 1920, the Galle C.C. played a match with the Kalutara C.C. at Galle and Galle emerged victorious by a broad margin of 235 runs. The visitors were a powerful combination including such notable players as O.G de Alwis, the first captain of the S.S.C Mathysz of the Kandy Rovers, E.S de Kretser, Malcom Orr, M.M Molligoda, Aelian Ebert, H Samarasinghe and A.J.R Scharenguivel.

Galle aggregated 278, the principal scorers being A. Hettiaratchchi who again gave a delightful display for an unblemished 97, Cecil Senaratne (70), M. S. Gooneratne (21), A.L de Silva (26) and Gurusinghe (24). Kalutara failed miserably in batting, the whole side being bundled out for a paltry 43, Oliver de Alwis (14) alone reaching double figures. Gurusinghe (6 for 16) and Fernando (4 for 23) bowled with rare judgement and went through the innings unchanged.

On October 23, 1920, a Southern Province Team played a match with Dr. John Rockwoods XI. At the time, Dr. Rockwood was a household name in the cricket world of Ceylon. His team comprised: Douglas de Saram (Capt.), Dr. C.H Gunasekera, M.K Albert, C Horan, S.R Titus, E Kelart, V.T Dickman, Jack Anderson, G Wignarajah, H.A Sappideen and Alfred Aluvihare. This was a most formidable combination.

The Southern Province Team consisted of: E.M Karunaratne (Capt.), M.S Gooneratne, G.R. A Fernando, D Gurusinghe, A Hettiaratchchi, A.L de Silva Cecil Senaratne, S.B.L Perera, E Wijetilleke, Freddie Wickramaratne and K.M.H de Silva.

Having won the toss, the visitors scored 114 runs. Trundled with rare judgement and maintaining an admirable length, Gurusinghe covered himself with glory by capturing 6 for 49.

The Galle team collapsed for 54 runs. In the second innings, the visitors scored 101 runs for 2 wickets and declared, leaving Galle to make 161 runs for victory in 1 1/2 hours. Rain interrupted play when Galle was 75 runs for 7 wickets.

In 1921, the Colombo Cricket Club visited Galle after nearly 30 years. Galle scored 166 runs while the visitors could pile up only 66 runs. Taking 6 for 27 runs, Gurusinghe wrought havoc amongst the Englishmen.

Across the abyss of years, Ruhunu Puthra remembers the time, when during international matches, E.M.K. used to go round the playground, with an unfurled multicoloured umbrella in hand, appealing to the spectators to cheer both sides. Gurusinghe retired as the headmaster of Mahinda. He was a teacher of mine. His youngest son, Luxhman (now domiciled) was with me in the same class. He admirably commanded the college Cadet Battalion.