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Learie Constantine’s Cricket Coaching Stint in Ceylon 1953-by Chandra Schaffter Source:Thuppahis Sir Learie Constantine was truly a legend. He was invited by Sri Lanka Cricket Board to coach in Sri Lanka in early 1953. Before that, the New Zealander C.T. Badcock was coaching and Sri Lanka was inviting foreign coaches with a view to improving the standard of cricket in the country. The arrival of Learie Constantine was like a breath of fresh air. He brought to us the West Indian style of cricket and he to a large extent encouraged the natural talents of his wards and allowed them to improve their game in the way they knew best. That was his greatness. His coaching was confined largely to Colombo, and Kandy. He first coached in Colombo for a month or two, but the Cricket Board selected a squad of 20 players from among the up-and-coming youth to be coached ...