Ceylon Cricket Team 1958 – Yes it was truly a Ceylonese Team! – By Charles Schokman Source: Sent to eLanka by Charles Schokman This photo popped up in the social media. This was the then All Ceylon team picked to play an Unofficial test match  against the  English team led by Colin Cowdrey in 1958.  An interesting aspect I noted was the  balanced ethnic diversity of Sinhalese, Moors, Malay, Tamil, Burgher in this team. Sadly, we don’t find it now.  Only three are among the living – Chandra Schaffter (94 years) Dr H.I.K. Fernando (91 years) and Michael Tissera (85 years). Don’t confuse A.C.M. Lafir with Billiards Lafir (MJM). ACM Lafir was the opening batsman for St Anthony’s College, Katugostota and was chosen on his outstanding batting record for the club that he played in Colombo – Saracens owned by Macan Markar family. Lafir received the award for the  highest runs ...

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A.C. M. Lafir – an incredibly brilliant batsman (from the archives – Daily News 25 Nov 2006 A. C. M. Lafir an incredibly brilliant batsman Sporting Personalities with Ken de Joodt: SPORTING PERSONALITIES: Amidst the green hills and misty mountains of the ‘cleansing’ climes of Kandy, it was the ‘gentleman’s game’ of Cricket that captivated the hearts of many schoolboys, their parents and a wide circle of fans, to joyfully gather at the picturesque Cricket grounds and watch their ‘Cricket Heroes’ with intense interest. Among them was a scintillating batsman of ‘real class’ and elegance whose techniques of ‘twists and turns’ of wrist and graceful use of feet were ‘out of this world’! He was a real treat to watch, whenever he was at the batting crease, bashing the little shiny ‘cherry coloured’ ball to all parts of the ground – and on numerous occasions – out of the grounds!! ...

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Lafir and Stevens the famous Antonian opening pair – by Upananda Jayasundera   Source:-dailynews Legendary Antonian Cricketers A.C.M.Lafir and Ronnie Stevens were an outstanding Opening pair during their school days and are best known for producing a record first wicket partnership of 276 against Trinity College,Kandy in their 37th ‘Big Match’ in 1954. In that match Lafir scored 170 while Stevens contributed 107. Lafir was not only a great cricketer but also an outstanding Soccer player who represented Phoenix Soccer Club as a left extreme. He played for Kandy United and had the privilege of representing the country against the Ted Dexter’s XI under the captaincy of C.I.Gunasekera. Lafir scored 84 in his first match as a schoolboy and made centuries against all the leading clubs in Sri Lanka to have a tally of 50 centuries including 2 tons for Sri Lanka in the Gopalan Trophy   Match against India ...

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