Wednesday 9th, February 2011 15

going to bat second, you are going to be in big trouble.’ We looked and won- dered whether something was wrong with this guy. But we had so much con- fidence in him, we said, ‘okay, this guy knows and we’ll bat first.’ We batted and got 190-odd if I remember right. It wasn’t easy when we were as pieces of mud came out of the . But when they went to bat, the wicket had hardened, but the surface was uneven because those pieces had come out and the ball was flying. Ashantha (de Mel) hit two guys on the face. When we travelled in the bus, Sir Gary would stand and talk about his crick- eting experience and jokes. He had an amazing sense of humour. He would crack jokes and we would be laughing from one county to the other listening Sidat Wettimuny bats to his jokes. Mr. Murugaser was our during the 1983 World manager. Cup game against Question: What was so special about Sir Gary the coach? Pakistan Wettimuny: He had that air about him. Those Englishmen never dared to cross paths with Sir Gary in any area. You felt that you were walking around with the greatest all-rounder in the world and he made sure that everyone knew that he was the greatest. He was very supportive of whatever we did. He told us you guys are as good as any and you guys aren’t second to none. One thing I treasure is that he wrote in one of the magazines commemorat- ing Gamini Dissanayake that we could have been as great as anybody given the opportunities. I treasure that statement by him. We just did- n’t have opportunities. Question: You could have beaten Pakistan in that World Cup. Imran Khan got a hun- Part 35 dred when they were in trouble and then Abdul Qadir got a five-wicket haul. Wettimuny: We beat New Zealand and against Pakistan we had them exactly where we wanted “With Sir Gary around, it was like going around with and then let them off the hook. More than Imran getting a hun- the ‘King’ of cricket. When we traveled in the bus, dred, chasing 236 to win, we were he would stand and talk about his cricketing expe- 162 for two and we were cruising. I got out after getting a 50. I threw rience and jokes. He had an amazing sense of my wicket away actually. We were humour. He would crack jokes and we would be sailing. We should have won with three or so down. But we laughing from one county to the other county lis- lost in a hurry and that was a sad tening to his jokes. Those Englishmen never dared moment. Question: They say you put a to cross paths with Sir Gary in any area. You felt high price on your wicket. that you were walking around with the greatest all- Wettimuny: When I say I threw my wicket away, that may have been due rounder in the world and he made sure that every- to lack of experience. We were 162 for one knew that he was the greatest.” two and I thought we were home and dry. I think I hooked someone and got out. Not finishing things off was something that we lacked those days. We lacked the staying power. That’s Sidat Wettimuny what and Alex Kountouris brought into Sri Lankan cricket. Those days we would get 50 runs and we would feel tired and our BY REX CLEMENTINE and what Sir Gary Sobers brought There was a younger brother Nimal, Question: Tell us about the 1983 concentration level would be slipping. into Sri Lankan cricket as coach. He who was nine years old when our World Cup. You beat New Zealand We didn’t have the necessary fitness he achievements of Sidat also speaks on the influence of his father died. Ranjan played a little bit and had a couple of close games levels to stay. After 1995, the guys who Wettimuny in are father in his cricket, coming close to of cricket. He was very talented and against England and Pakistan. got 50s went onto get 150s. The guys Tunique and unbeatable but, more beat Pakistani in 1983 and lots more. played for Trinity and then gave up. Wettimuny: We were concerned who bowled five overs went onto bowl than the records, if there were a com- Here are excerpts. He was a jack of all trades and the about playing in English conditions. 12 overs. Everything got sharper. petition to choose the nicest man to master of none. He did all the sports, We had Sir Gary Sobers, who was our That’s what we lacked in the ’70s and have played Test cricket for , Question: They say your father but didn’t pursue. Nimal pursued. He Coach and that was a fantastic experi- ’80s. he’d probably beat Roshan Mahanama Ramsay Wettimuny was a huge played for SSC briefly and then shifted ence. Sir Gary is the sort of guy when Question: Then against England for the gold medal. influence on your cricket career. to motor racing and became a motor he is around, you feel confident. It was at Taunton, you had an impressive Now 54, Wettimuny has more inter- Wettimuny: Absolutely. Our father racing champion. like going around with the ‘King’ of chase after they posted 333 in est in golf than cricket, but in the was cricket crazy. He built the first Question: So, the three of you cricket. He made you feel confident. 60 overs. 1980s, he helped immensely to shape indoor nets in this country at the who played for Sri Lanka went to We were feeling good. His understand- Wettimuny: We played well against the country’s cricketing image. Health Department just to teach us Ananda and the other two to ing of wickets was amazing. I have England. David Gower got a big hun- Sidat was the first Sri Lankan to cricket. He got Bertie Wijesinghe to Trinity? never known a guy who could read dred. We chased well. That was one of score a Test (157 against coach us and he just loved the whole Wettimuny: No, only Ranjan was wickets like Sir Gary. I specifically the toughest fast bowling I have ever Pakistan in Faisalabad) and followed game. He thought cricket was a way of sent to Trinity because he was a riot remember this one experience where faced. They had Graham Dilley, Bob that up with the longest Test innings life, something which will teach you a at Ananda. Nobody could control him. we were playing this practice game on Willis and Ian Botham. Dilley was pos- ever played at Lord’s. After his epic lot more than the game. He thought So Bertie Wijesinghe was at Trinity a wet wicket. It was a pre-World Cup sibly the quickest English bowler at 190 at the home of cricket, Wisden cricket was a good comparison to life, and he told my father to send him over tournament game. We walked up to that time. He bowled really well. If bestowed him with the honour of Five the ups and downs and how you take it to Trinity and said, “I will control the wicket and said, ‘my God, this is so you ask Roy, he would confirm. The Cricketers’ of the Year in 1985 and the and stuff. He said if you learn to play him.” But he was a rioter there as wet; we don’t want to bat on this wick- ball was whizzing. I was given leg Editor went onto comment thus: “Few, the game, how it should be played, you well. et.’ Sir Gary then walked up to the before wicket for 30-odd, sweeping and surely, would have backed a 28-year-old will hugely benefit in your future Question: How big an influence wicket and said, ‘hey guys, you better I wasn’t too happy with it. We lost that Sri Lankan Buddhist, and a vegetari- endeavours. He said if you want to were your brothers on your crick- bat on this wicket, because if you are match, but we chased and did well. an at that, to demonstrate his stamina play the game, play it properly and et? (To be continued) for 637 minutes, or 642 minutes if the learn the art of the game. He was very Wettimuny: Sunil and Mithra were two hold-ups by Tamil protesters are technique conscious and I am eternal- both big influences and it was fun. We included. But Wettimuny did so, and ly grateful to him. He died just before I were playing for SSC at the same time thereby converted sceptics who had captained Ananda. So he missed out and we used to go for the match previously doubted Sri Lanka’s right on seeing the third son captaining together and come home after the to Test status. His innings of 190 was Ananda and he missed out a lot. By game and we talked about cricket and enhanced by some of the finest cover the time I was 17, he had ingrained in it was fun. SSC in the 1980s dominated driving seen in England all summer, me enough to carry on with the way club cricket. It was between SSC, which was all the more creditable for he wanted me to. Bloomfield and NCC. We had, I think someone who had never played at Question: There were five boys nine Sri Lankan caps at that time. We Lord’s before.” in the family. Three of you went on had a fabulous lot. SSC was the club to He played just one World Cup, the to play for Sri Lanka. What about play for at that time. Hats off to my 1983 tournament and in today’s the other two? mother who had to tolerate five boys, ‘Memorable World Cup Moments’ he Wettimuny: Sunil was the eldest most of us playing cricket. speaks on his World Cup experiences followed by Mithra, then Ranjan and I.