14 Tuesday 18th August, 2009 nership of 217 for the second wicket. Wettimuny headed the batting aver- ages for Sri Lanka on the tour, scoring 316 runs in six innings at an average of 52.66. Wettimuny became the first Sri Lankan batsman to carry his bat through, when he made an unbeaten 63 in the first innings total of 144 in the first Test against New Zealand at Christchurch in February, 1983. He played against an attack which includ- ed the great Richard Hadlee, Snedden and Chatfield. On this tour, Sri Lanka played two Tests against New Zealand and the Wettimuny brothers, Sidath cricket) in 1974/75. During his fifth by M. A. Cyril and Mithra opened batting for Sri year with the First XI team, Sidat Lanka in both Tests, thus becoming made his first class debut for the id you know that Sri Lanka’s the third set of brothers after the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), where first Test centurion was keen to Graces of England and the his first captain was former Sri Lanka Dbecome a fast bowler and had Mohammads of Pakistan to do so in skipper Anura Tennekoon. little interest in batting as a young the history of Test cricket. In June 1981, Sri Lanka toured boy? At the age of10 he was a tearaway When Australia led by Greg England under the captaincy of fast bowler who insisted that he want- Chappell played a one-off Test against Bandula Warnapura and among the ed to bowl fast, despite his slender Sri Lanka at Asgiriya in April, 1983, players to impress on this tour was frame and want of inches. Wettimuny was unfortunate to miss Sidat Wettimuny. With his approach he used to cre- his second Test century when he was Sidat made his international ate fear among all Under-10 batsmen. dismissed for 96 in the second innings. debut in the One-Day international Sidat Wettimuny was born on Sri Lanka lost the Test by an innings. against England at the SSC on August 12, 1956, as the fourth of five The highlight of Wettimuny’s Test February 13, 1982. Opening the batting boys to Ramsay Gregory de Silva career came in Sri Lanka’s first offi- for Sri Lanka, Sidat made a composed Wettimuny and Indrani de Silva, at cial tour of England in August, 1984. 46, but Sri Lanka lost the match. Park Road, Colombo. The senior Wettimuny scored a monumental 190 However, Sidat made amends in Wettimuny was a Mechanical in this historic Test match played at the next match on the following day as Engineer by profession. He was the the Mecca of cricket - Lord’s. he opened the batting and remained engineer who constructed the train Wettimuny faced the first ball of the unbeaten on 86. Sri Lanka snatched a for the famous film ‘Bridge over the Test and stayed until the morning of three-run win with one ball to spare to River Kwai’ shot in Sri Lanka in the the third day, while playing the square the series. ‘60s. longest innings recorded at Lord’s - Sidat Wettimuny was in the team The three Wettimuny brothers 642 minutes. that played the historic inaugural Test who took up to cricket in a big way Wettimuny was picked as one of match against England in February, were Sunil, Mithra and Sidat. All Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year 1982. He opened the batting for Sri three brothers opened batting for Sri (1985) and the ‘Sunday Telegraph’ Lanka with his skipper Bandula Lanka, captained their club team picked him as Victoria’s Wine Warnapura. He watched as Bob Willis, (first class cricket) and opened batting Cricketer of the Week and was pre- who opened the bowling for England, and captained their school team and sented with a case of champagne. claim the first two wickets - opened batting. Sunil, the eldest of the This is what the ‘Sunday Telegraph’ Warnapura (2) and Dias (0) with the Wettimuny brothers, was in the opin- had to say: “Wettimuny’s stunning scoreboard reading 11 for 2. At the ion of many, the best batsman of the innings took England nearer to a same score Wettimuny was dropped at three brothers. Unfortunately, injury nervous breakdown with a rare com- second slip by Botham when he was forced him out of international crick- bination of flair and stamina. No on 5. But the miss did not prove costly et, just before Sri Lanka gained Test doubt, Sidat will spare a sip or two for as Wettimuny added only one more status. Had he been playing, it is pos- his captain Mendis... and the rest of run before Botham had him caught sible that he would have ended up as the team for that matter.” behind. He made nine in the second Sri Lanka’s first Test captain. Wettimuny’s innings acquired a innings, but spent more time at the The Wettimuny brothers were for- greater dimension of heroism when it wicket as he and Warnapura were tunate that their cricket loving father was revealed that he had batted under involved in an opening partnership of had provided them the use of an the threat of death. 30 runs. indoor net built by him personally Some pitch invading LTTE sup- Sidat Wettimuny made a lasting and had made arrangements for them porters had screamed “We’ll kill you.” impression in Sri Lanka’s first official to be privately coached by no less a The British press was full of praise tour after the granting of Test status. person than former Ceylon cricketer for Wettimuny and the other Sri Soon after the inaugural Test, Sri Bertie Wijesinghe. lankan payers for their outstanding Lanka toured Pakistan and to Sidat At Ananda College, Sidat repre- performance. Even Robin Marlar, who Wettimuny fell the honour of becom- sented the Under-12 team at the age of was one of the strongest critics of Sri ing Sri Lanka’s first Test centurion. In 10 and then represented the Under-14 Lankan cricket and had vehemently the first Test played at Karachi and Under-16 teams and went on to opposed Sri Lanka being granted full Wettimuny was top scorer for Sri represent the First XI cricket team for ICC status, was lavish in his praise. Lanka in the first innings with 71. In five years. He captained the team in Wettimuny was adjudged Man of the the second Test at Faisalabad 1975. Match. Sidat won the All Island Best Wettimuny scored 157 as he and Roy (To be continued tomorrow) Batsman of the Year award (school Dias were involved in a record part- Under-17 Division II Cricket quarter-final New Zealand face test Royal deny all of character by Jamie Alter Sri Lankan conditions could iar tracks. Among the bowlers, Sebastianites semi final have a significant bearing on Vettori is the most experienced by Reemus Fernando It’s a telling statistic that the result. and needs the rest to step up. match played at Kotte last Friday. overs (Shehan Madusanka 25, Daniel Vettori (5) and Daryl The most irritating problem Chris Martin and Iain O’Brien, Scores: Namal Danushka 24; Gavesha Tuffey (2) are the only players in for Vettori is the inconsistency the most likely new-ball pair, Royal College survived a late Revata 267 all out in 48.1 Fernando 2/40, R. Vijayanga the New Zealand squad to have of the top order. New Zealand have no experience in Sri order collapse as they chased a overs (Pulasthi Dinusha 50, 2/30, Yomal Rangika 2/16) featured in Tests in Sri Lanka. posted totals of 297 and 240 for 6 Lanka. Galle may be New modest score of 128 runs and Maduranga Mendis 45, Supun Nalanda 152 all out in 37.2 Such are the odds stacked against an unassuming attack Zealand’s best bet for success recorded a two wicket victory Chinthaka 26, Dulaj Dananjaya overs (Chandima Jayasinghe 63, against the visitors as they head in their final tour match and given how much seam has over St. Sebastian’s College, 24, Buddhika Madusanka 24; Nimesh Kumara 4/25, Akalanka into another two-Test series in their batsmen haven’t showed worked at the venue, and so they Moratuwa in the Inter School Janaka Dayananda 3/37, Weerasuriya 2/04) Sri Lanka, this time with an the deliberation and purpose may consider playing three Under-17 Division II quarter- Duleeka Chathuranga 3/38) inexperienced squad not accus- necessary to survive on unfamil- seamers. final match played at Moors Mahanama 270 for 8 in 46 Wadduwa Central advance to tomed to victory. Not surprisingly, Grounds, last Friday. overs (Chathura Jayasinghe 79, knockout stage While New Zealand Sri Lanka start as Royal survived the collapse Chathura Wanniarachchi 60, possess a decent favourites. They are triggered by leg spinner Ruwan Thusith Maduranga 59, Dilshan Wicketkeeper batsman record on the island - fearsome at home - Fernando, who took six wickets Rusiru 23; Shehan Manuran Hashan Ranganath excelled with three wins, three since New Zealand’s for 21 runs in ten overs, to record 2/33, Yasoda Nayanajith 2/37) an unbeaten 63 runs (in 108 balls) losses and five draws last tour in 2003, Sri the victory with ten overs to for Wadduwa Central College to - it’s their recent Lanka have won nine spare. Under-15 Division II Cricket book a berth in the knockout form that raises a out of 12 series, los- They will meet St. Sebastian’s Second Round stage with a 69 run victory over question about their ing only to Australia College, Katuneriya in the first Isipatana College in the Under-15 chances of success.