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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Talented Iqbal Jumar chose hockey over cricket-BY DENNIS DE ROSYARO Source:Sundayobserver Iqbal Jumar was born to be a sportsman with exceptional and inherent talent. He could have reached great heights in any ball-game but chose hockey as his preference. A distinguished Kingswoodian, he shone in many sports, winning colours in hockey and soccer, while being a regular member of the 1st XI cricket team. While still a schoolboy, he represented Kandy District HA at the National Hockey Championships. In 1959, the sports loving Carson Cumberbach & Company was happy to offer employment to Iqbal where he worked for 15 years. Along with internationals Chandra Schaffter, V Jeyaratnam, LP Rayen and K Sampanthan, Jumar helped Carsons to many championships in ‘A’ division tournaments conducted by the Mercantile HA. In the premier club tournaments, he represented the Burgher RC and Malay CC, and played in many a victorious team. In 1970, he ...

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Chandra Schaffter: Double international who shone as player and administrator-BY DENNIS DE ROSAYRO Chandra Schaffter Source:Sundayobserver As one of the speediest and fittest players, Chandra Schaffter shone as a Right Extreme at the highest level. He knew that the shortest distance between one point to the other was a straight line and with his acumen would keep the defence guessing. With an array of deceptive passes and accurate hits from various areas, from the right side line, usually foxed the opponents, enabling his forwards with ample time to plan their moves and score goals. He is a double international in hockey and cricket, managing the hockey team to India in 1971 and cricket teams to India in 1982, England in 1991 and 2002, and Dubai in 1999 and 2002, as well as Asia Test Championship in Pakistan in 2002. ...

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Hale and hearty Stanley J 91-By Harischandra Gunaratna Source:Island Former All Ceylon, Leicestershire, NCC, Nomads and Nalanda College cricketer Stanley Jayasinghe on Wednesday celebrated his 91st birthday at a simple ceremony at his Thalapathpitiya residence. The Nonagenarian, full of vigour with a razor sharp memory shared some of the memorable incidents in the cricketing arena of yesteryear with those who came to wish him and amongst them were many cricket enthusiasts including Jayasinghe’s sister Mrs. Nalini Rattan who had flown all the way from British Columbia. One of his ardent fans from India, Dr.Uma Bose sang an inspirational and a devotional song for the birthday boy. ...

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When the Government Services toppled the reigning hockey champions by DENNIS DE ROSAYRO Image source: MHA Sri Lanka Facebook page   Source:sundayobserver.lk One of the most unforgettable shocks in the field of hockey took place when Government Services toppled reigning champions Mercantile Hockey Association from their pedestal at the third National Hockey Championships of Ceylon in 1958. The tournament favourites were the Mercantile HA having shared the trophy with Matale in 1956 and beating Matale 1-0 in 1957 at Matale. A third time meeting was predicted again. But Government Services turned the form book upside down with a brilliant performance in the final. Pomp and pageantry in typical oriental style marked the opening ceremony. The teams clad in their playing kits strode in procession from the clock tower to the esplanade where the championships were held, escorted by motor cycles and preceded by Kandyan dancers and a majestically dressed elephant, carrying ...

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SEVEN SRI LANKAN CRICKETERS WHO REPRESENTED SRI LANKA IN ANOTHER SPORT   While representing a nation in so much as one sport is a cause for profound pride, there have been players whose transcendental corporal virtuosities have helped them quixotically push the limits of mortal human abilities. The double internationals- players who represent their nations in two sports internationally- are, no wonder, a rare breed. As far as cricketers are concerned, most of the double internationals’ second sport is rugby thanks to the monopoly both rugby and cricket has over the commonwealth of nations. However, Sri Lanka’s cricketing double internationals’ second sport runs the gamut from table tennis to hockey. A notable feature among Sri Lanka’s cricketing double internationals is that most of them belong to Sri Lanka’s pre-test era. Perhaps, with cricket becoming a serious sport in the island following full ICC membership, cricketers may have hardly had any ...

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