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Richard
Lionel Kannangara trophy for Trinity vs Wesley Inter-School Cricket Match
Trinity
College met Wesley College in their inter-school cricket match played at the
Asgiriya Stadium on January 12 and 13 for the Richard Lionel Kannangara trophy.
It
is fitting that a trophy has been awarded for this fixture as Ritchie Kannangara
had very close associations with both Wesley and Trinity.
He was educated at Wesley College, Colombo when Highfield was the
Principal and represented the school at cricket from 1914 to 1917, captaining
the team in 1917. He was a fine
left-hand bat and a left-arm medium pacer.
Some of his noteworthy performances were against Royal College where he scored 350 runs over three years, including 129 not out in 1916 and 153 in 1917, which still remains the record for the series. He also scored 121 not out against Trinity College in 1917 and topped the schools batting averages in the same year.
R
L Kannangara represented Bloomfied Cricket Club, the Ceylonese Upcountry and All
Ceylon (as Sri Lanka was known then). In
one match for the Ceylonese Upcountry against the MCC, he took 5 for 60.
This means that he was among the very first players in the national team,
representing shortly after 1918, the Ceylonese side against the Europeans .
In one of those years, the Ceylonese team comprised D L de Saram
(captain), M.K. Albert, A Aluwihare, V.S. de Kretsser, V.T. Dickman, Dr C.H.
Gunasekera, Cecil Horan, RL. Kannangara, Edward Kelaart, S Perimpanayagam and P.
Pulle.
Bertie
Wijesinha writing on R.L. Kannangara’s achievements in an article published in
the Observer of 24th June 1965 said: ”His
best innings? It was not the
hundreds, not one of them he said emphatically.
But he did remember a match against S Thomas’ College played on the BRC
grounds at Havelock Park”.
“Wesley
had been left with 215 runs to make and only 135 minutes of play left in which
to win the match. It was a
challenge that would have baulked many a school team of today and made them play
safe, settling for an honourable draw”.
Schoolboy
cricketers were made of sterner stuff then.
Wesley accepted the challenge. They
got off to a good start and there was no stopping them.
Kannangara and his captain Boteju tore into the Thomian bowling, and
Wesley got the runs and victory with minutes to spare.
A memorable achievement! Kannangara
scored some eighty odd runs that day when nothing seemed to go wrong.
Spurred by visions of a great game and inspired by an instinct for
success, he cut loose with his flashing blade and executed every stroke in the
book. Perhaps he improvised a few
as the need arose”.
“Kannangara
studied law, but with his passing out, he chose to teach.
He went to Trinity College, Kandy. And
so went from the cricket scene a star of extraordinary lustre which blazed
comet-like across the cricket horizon and vanished over the hills into self
effacement” wrote Bertie Wijesinha in the Daily News of the mid-sixties.
Rain
causes Trinity-Wesley match to be drawn
The
inaugural cricket match for the R.L. Kannangara Memorial Trophy between Trinity
and Wesley ended in a tame draw at Asgiriya on 12 and 13 January.
The
draw was predictable as much play was lost due to rain.
Wesley
were all out for 192 and Trinity made 218 for 8 wickets in their first innings
at close on the second day.
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FOLLOWING
THE BALL & THE FATHER
Victorian
Rugby Union State Representative
Congratulations
and best wishes to Stuart de Kretser who was selected to represent Victoria in
the under 12 State Team at the Griff Hunt Championship Trophy in Adelaide during
the Queen’s Birthday week end in June and in the NSW Primaries to be held in
Tamworth later on in the year. Stuart
is the son of Keith de Kretser and is following in the steps of his father by
playing as a tight head prop forward.
During
his days in the ruck and maul., Keith played for Wesley, Melbourne High, Latrobe
University, Box Hill Rugby Club, and captained the Victorian Schoolboys team in
1972.
We
hope to see Stuart end up a Wallaby!!
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LOCAL
NEWS
Wesley
College OBU Australia Branch (Inc.) Office Bearers & Committee 2000
President
Reg
Bartholomeusz Vice
President
Alister
Bartholomeusz Secretary
Trevor
Collette Treasurer
Nelson
de Silva Editor
Bryan
Wijeyekoon General
Committee Rienzie
Mahamooth
Dayantha Makalanda
SRI
LANKAN AUSTRALIAN CULTURAL DAY
Australia
Day, 26 January 2001 dawned with clear skies and bright sunshine. As the
Organising Committee and helpers put together the finishing touches for the
inaugural Sri Lankan Australian Cultural Day sponsored by Ceylon Shipping Lines
and Skyway Travel. There was an air of confidence that the weather forecasters
would be wrong with their prediction of showers as it was sunny and humid much
akin to the weather in Colombo.
The
14 participating Old Boys Associations(Ananandians, Aloysians, Antonians,
Bens, Issipathana Boys,
Jaffna College, Johnians Jaffna,
Joes, Nalandians,
Rajans, Royalists,
Trinitians, Thomians and
Wesleyites) were marshalled in their respective tents that provided a
colourful backdrop with their brightly coloured school flags and tents festooned
with coloured balloons. As the
entertainment stage and sound system were undergoing final tests, the
round-robin pre-liminary cricket matches in the six-a-side cricket tournament
got underway. The enthusiasm and competitiveness of the teams soon adding to the
festivities and colourful spectacle. By mid-morning the crowds were streaming in
and on the horizon the emergence of dark clouds signalled to the organisers that
their worst fears were to be soon realised.
Shortly
after the skies opened up with a brief but heavy shower.
The rain cleared and the cricket was underway again but not for long. As
the clouds rolled in from the South-West more rain was on it’s way. And down
it came to halt the cricket again. This time it was for longer and it affected
the round-robin tournament which was abandoned. The participating schools were
very keen to continue and the delegates agreed to a knock-out competition.
Wet
conditions underfoot resulted in play being abandoned on the turf wicket and all
fixtures in the revised draw being transferred to the other ground. Play was
soon underway and to the relief of the players and the public who were still
streaming in, there was a clear break in the weather. Three rounds of the
knock-out competition were over when the heavens opened up again. Blinding rain,
thunder and lightning continued for an hour and there was no respite as the
clouds rolling in brought with them further showers. By 3 p.m. the organisers
abandoned the cricket for the day.
A
late break in the downpour saw the Sri Lankan Team and Mulgrave Cricket Club
Team take the field. Playing for Sri Lanka was Roshan Mahanama(Captain), Asanka
Gurusinghe, Athula Samarasekera, Chandika Hathurusinghe, Ruwan Kalpage and
Chamara Dunusinghe. The Sri Lankan team batted first making 135 runs in 10 overs
with Mahanama 58(retired), Kalpage 34 not out and Hathurusinghe 27 not out.
Mulgrave Cricket Club overhauled the score getting 138 for the loss of two
wickets with an over to spare. Ex-pat Peter Hamer (son of Old Wesleyites Russell
Hamer) playing a starring role with 54 runs. It was an entertaining game with
the spectators somewhat surprised by the result.
Keith
de Kretser