14 Tuesday 4th August, 2009

ed to play for the 1st XI while still playing for the Under-14 team. How happy his coach would have been when young Warnapura scored a debut centu- Like a ry against Prince of Wales College. He silenced all his detractors and from then on there was no turn- ing back. Warnapura scored nine centuries in three sea- sons, including a record-breaking in the ‘Big Match’ against Ananda College. He went on to to water the Under-14, Under-16, First XI and also the Combined Schools teams. The experience he gained Mahela’s handing the reigns as a leader from a very young age would have great- of captaincy to his thick pal Kumar ly helped him in achieving the highest honour of Sangakkara, for reasons best known becoming his country’s first Test captain. to him has proved fruitful. Warnapura also represented his school in athlet- Kumar took to his new role as ics and soccer. captain of the Sri Lankan National Moving over to club cricket, he played for his cricket team like a duck takes to club Bloomfield with equal success. He holds the water. He proved his leadership qual- local record of scoring four consecutive centuries in ities, in his first assignment, where first class cricket (three against Bangladesh and one he led the Sri Lankans to the finals, in the Robert Senanayake Trophy). The three cen- in the Twenty/20 World Cup in turies against Bangladesh were scored in Sri England. Since then he has not Lanka’s first tour of Bangladesh in 1978. He also looked back. He took up the challenge bowled and fielded well and won the ‘Man of the in a three match Test series, against Series’ award. Warnapura’s figures in these a strong Pakistani side with confi- unofficial ‘Tests’ read 3M-31-1NO-167 n.o.-388R- dence and he led the team from the 194.00AV.He took seven catches. front much like a seasoned skipper. Warnapura played representative cricket at a The negative aspect was he had to very young age. He holds the record for the highest lead a side sans his main strike individual score in first class cricket by a Sri bowler Murali and left arm seamier Lankan, making 294 against the visiting Malaysian Vaas, two of the bowlers who have Cricket association team in 1972. been in the limelight as far as the Sri Warnapura was still a schoolboy and he bettered Lanka attack is concerned, Jack Anderson’s 291 (1918), as the highest by a for the past 15 years. schoolboy.He also played for the Under-19 To make matters worse, fiery team against the Australian Udner-19 team and pacie Malinga was sidelined due to scored a brilliant century. He scored another centu- injury. Kumar left that drawback ry against the Pakistan National Under-25 team. behind his mind and pinned his Warnapura made his ODI debut in the inaugural hopes on the bowlers at his command World Cup held in England in 1975. He made his who responded positively. debut in the match against the West Indies at Pacies Nuwan Kulasekara, Thilan Manchester on 7.6.75. He also played in that eventful Thushara, and leg match against Australia in the same World Cup spinner. were out- when and Sunil Wettimuny had to standing and it was they who called be rushed to hospital as a result of being hit by the shots in Sri Lanka’s triumph in Australian fast bowler Jeff Thomson. Warnapura the first two Test matches on home made a courageous 31 in that match. soil against Pakistan which ended a Warnapura was vice captain of the Sri Lanka long drought of 25 years to reach the team which toured England in 1979 to participate in cherished goal. the ICC Trophy for Associate Members. Sri Lanka beat Canada in the final to win the ICC Trophy. Sri Letter Lanka’s captain Anura Tennekoon fell ill and it was Warnapura who captained the side in the final. With The Sri Lankan bowlers who were the victory in the ICC tournament, Sri Lanka outstanding were leg spinner Herath entered the World Cup competition that followed. who had 15 under his belt Sri Lanka’s inaugural Test in Feb. 1982: Sri Lanka skipper Bandula Warnapura (L) and England captain on their way to the Sri Lanka then created a big upset beating India having twice taken five wickets in an toss. (Files) quite comfortably to become the first Associate . Member to beat a Full Member in a World Cup. Nuwan Kulasekera was declared Once again, it was Warnapura who captained the man of the Test Series against the side in the absence of Tennekoon, who had dam- Pakistan, for his haul of 17 wickets. aged a hamstring the previous day. He was ably supported by Thushara The highlight of Warnapura’s international Mirando. career came in 1981, when Australia, led by Kim I presume the Pakistani selectors Hughes toured Sri Lanka. This tour was a great suc- did blunder when they sidelined Warnapura’s cess for Sri Lanka and would have had great a Danish Kaneria, from the first two impact on the decision to grant Test status to Sri Test matches. That proved to be Sri Lanka. Lanka’s gain. A case in point is how Bandula Warnapura’s magnificent century in this world reputed leg spinner, per- the second one-day-international against Australia formed with the cherry in the final at the SSC grounds which helped Sri Lanka to its Test at the SSC grounds, where he is an unbreakable first win against Australia was hailed by the baffled the Sri Lankan top order bats- Australian captain as “world class.” men, with his leg spinners, spiced Australia batted first and were making steady with the googly and the fizzing flip- progress until Warnapura himself stepped in to per, which brought him five wickets make the breakthrough, by bowling Hughes. From in the first innings. He continued in 148 for 3, Australia were all out for 188, due to some the same vein in the second innings, great bowling and exceptionally brilliant fielding. when he claimed cheaply the prized record Warnapura, with the responsibility of leader- of Mahela Jayawardana. ship weighing heavy on him, decided to take the Malinda Warnapura was another by M. A. Cyril the Under-14 team by the very powerful senior play- attack to the Australians. When the spinners were of his victims. One wonders, if he er’s ‘Mafia’. introduced in the 10th over, Warnapura launched was selected for the first two Tests, as andula Warnapura is the proud holder of the These senior players had at the time told young into them. The first fifty came in 55 minutes in the well, whether he could have turned unbreakable record of being the country’s Warnapura that there are no vacancies in the team 12th over and in the next over, Warnapura took 12 the tide in Pakistan’s favour. When Bfirst Test captain. for new aspirants and kept him away for two years runs from a lofted drive over extra cover, a back cut one focuses on Sri Lanka’s perform- However, his Test career was destined to be a from the Under-12 team. Then he was kept perma- and a hook. He reached his 50 with a six off Ray ance in this Test series, the grey area very brief one. nently as a reserve in the Under-14 team for another Bright. He hit Bright for another six later. that was quite evident was the Bandula Warnapura was born on March 1, 1953, two years. Warnapura’s father, who was a respected , the other opener, though pathetic batting of the top and mid- at Rambukkana. He was educated at Nalanda Senior Physician in the Health Department, was so overshadowed by his skipper, nevertheless played a dle order batsmen. There were flash- College, Colombo. He turned out to be one of the frustrated that he wanted to remove his son and magnificent role as the anchor man. Meanwhile, es of brilliance from the willows of finest cricketers produced by Nalanda, but had it admit him to another school. It was Nalanda’s good Warnapura was approaching a milestone which no Mahela, Sanga, Paranavitana, not been for the intervention of that great coach fortune that he failed in his attempt. other Sri Lankan batsman had achieved at the time. Samaraweera, Warnapura and Nelson Mendis, Warnapura may even not have Nelson Mendis found that the Under-14 team had He was on 92 in the 34th over. He lifted the first deliv- Mathews, but consistency was lack- played for his school, let alone becoming the coun- only a couple of seniors and that Warnapura was far ery from Terry Alderman to the fence and then two ing sans Sanga. This should be food try’s first Test captain. ahead of them in class. He also observed that he had balls later executed a fine cover drive to bring up his for thought for the selectors. A case When Nelson Mendis took over Nalanda College the makings of a good all-rounder as well as an able century. in point is that Sri Lanka was unable junior cricket as Master-in-Charge cum Coach in leader. He appointed Warnapura as captain of the His century came off 114 balls and contained 12 to register a total of 300 runs in the 1965, he found that Bandula Warnapura, who was a Under-14 team in his first year and the youngster fours and three sixes. He became only the 10th bats- first two Test matches; that tells the 13-year-old at the time aspiring for a place in the did not let him down. In the following year, while man in the world to score a century in one-day inter- story. It was in the second innings of Under-14 team that year had been kept away from playing for the Under-14 team, he also played in the nationals. the third Test that Sri Lanka’s top attending Under-12 practices for two years and Under-16 team. order batsmen turned things around. another two years kept as a permanent reserve in Warnapura was so successful that he was select- (To be continued tomorrow) Pakistan set Sri Lanka a daunting total of 492 to chase for victory. This appeared to be a distant dream, con- sidering Sri Lanka’s poor track Remembering the late Charles Wijewardana record in the series. The Lankan skipper had not lost all hope of either by M. Farook Lantra winning or drawing the match. During the 1971 insurgency, when some of his close friends. The Openers Paranavitana (73) the Sri Lanka Air Force did not take Whilst Charles was in service in and Warnapura (31) gave Sri Lanka a The third death anniversary of part in local competitions, he turned Kurunegala, he was always at hand confident start. The consistent Sanga rugby hero former DIG Charles out for CR & FC and helped them to to help young rugby players of and Samaraweera (73) were associat- Wijewardana falls today. He was 58 emerge champions as well. Kurunegala Rugby Football Club. ed in a match saving partnership of at the time of his death, in 2005. In 1972, he joined the Police Subsequent to an idea mooted by 122 runs. After Tilan’s exit, the ever He died under tragic circum- Force as a Sub-inspector. He turned the late IGP, SLRFU and CR & FC improving and promising all rounder stances whilst on duty in the war out for the Police rugby team until President Rudra Rajasingham, Angelo Mathews, stood by his - torn Northern province. 1982. Lewke donated a trophy to the for- tain, playing a courageous innings; Charles, better known as He was a member of the National mer President of the SLRFU his half century was his first in Test ‘Charlie’ was a household name dur- rugby team as well. Priyantha Ekanayake, in memory of cricket. The skipper with a valiant ing the police rugby era when he In 1979, Police won the Clifford the former Air Force, Police, CR & match saving 130 not out, took Sri held centre stage as a place kicker of Cup under his captaincy. He was FC and Sri Lanka rugby stalwart. Lanka out of the woods and drew the exceptional ability and a never say adjudged the Best Place Kicker in This trophy is now awarded to match. Pakistan, who were hoping die fullback. Sri Lanka and earned the titles of the Best Player in the Clifford Cup for a face saving victory, had to eat Charles was a product of ‘King Charles’ and ‘Mr. Reliable’. tournament which is held annually. humble pie. Vidyartha College, Kandy and found One could not bear the shock and The 98th Clifford Cup KO tourna- employment in the Air Force in 1968 pain at the way he met his death. ment is scheduled to commence Rex Wijewardene, where he played rugby with distinc- DIG Nimal Lewke, DIG Y. G. M. R. shortly, at the end of the league Dehiwala. tion for them. Lafir and DIG Lucky Pieris were tournament. Charles Wijewardana