Monday 8th August, 2011 13 Abu now enjoys the comfort of blessed peace

BY LAL GUNESEKERA expense and travelled to Colombo twice a Sharjah, for his contribution to the mas- week. sive development work and pivotal role he other day I happened to travel Four months into the project, Abu fell he had played for in . down 5th Lane in Kollupitiya and ill and ran a high fever. He came to The others who were felicitated in Tdecided to step into the home and Colombo and consulted the late Dr. D. J. Sharjah were Michael Holding of the say hello to an old friend – Abu Fuard Attygalle, who treated him for about a West Indies and former (75). I found him in a joyful mood and he month. He was told that his exposure to and Cricket Board chief, Abdul Hafiz told me in no uncertain terms that he is dust and other elements had affected his Khardar. enjoying the comfort of blessed peace! kidneys. The end result was that Abu Abu played club cricket for Moors, The always outspoken and strict disci- underwent his first kidney transplant in Colts and CCC and was one of the finest plinarian began to discuss what Sri 1997 and the second in 2001, in India. The off spinners produced by Sri Lanka. He Lanka cricket meant to him and many whole exercise cost an enormous sum of even opened – such was his tal- things, including the sacrifices he had money – too big to be talked about. ent. Caddie Steve Williams, left, talks with Adam Scott on the 18th fairway Saturday. made for the game he loves, which the Abu received rich compliments. The Williams was Tiger Woods’ caddie until two weeks ago. (AP Photo) present generation of cricketers, admin- Duke of Norfolk said that he was one of istrators and public are unaware of. the best ‘offies’ in Asia. The great He became an Ex-co member of the Australian captain and veteran commen- Cricket Board in 1973 and his biggest tator Richie Benaud said that he would ambition was to open out the game to all have loved to have Abu play for the Adam Scott leads World and sundry as cricket in Sri Lanka was Aussies in The Ashes series in England. literally played and dominated by the Veteran Australian cricket writer elite. At one stage, the national team was Jack Fingleton too was full of praise for made up of 10 players from SSC and NCC Abu. and one solitary cricketer (The late Abu made his debut for his country in Golf Championship by 1 shot Mahandevan Sathasivam), from Tamil 1961 under C. I. Gunasekera, against Union. Australia. He played against Lord Ted Abu was determined to destroy this Dexter’s England team in 1962, Pakistan Ryo Ishikawa, 19-year-old from Japan, surprises field system and left no stone unturned to led by Imtiaz Ahmed in 1964, toured India open the doors for anyone to represent under Michael Tissera in 1964-65, against the country.He said that he was happy Australia led by Bobby Simpson, Joe AKRON, Ohio — Ryo Ishikawa I performed out there.” that today, boys from remote areas have Lister’s International XI led by Mickey amazed even his peers in a charity- Scott turned his fortunes around the opportunity to play for Sri Lanka. Stewart in 1964, Sir Colin Cowdrey’s This is a great achievement and contribu- Abu Fuard Englishmen in 1965 for the Board driven sport when he pledged in when decided to stick what was work- tion made to Sri Lanka’s cricket by President’s XI and England led by Tony March to donate his entire earnings ing, going to a fade off the tee. He Fuard, whom I have known for about 40 When Hemaka Amarasuriya of Lewis, in 1970. He also played regularly on the golf course to the tsunami poured in four birdies on the back years. Singer fame headed one of the Interim in the Gopalan Trophy series against relief fund in his native Japan. nine for a four-under 66, giving the When the powerful Minister of Committees (IC) of SLC, they discussed madras CA in annual matches. He could double the donation 31-year-old Australian a shot at his at one meeting to assist deserving former Abu was a qualified coach who Mahaweli in the J. R. Jayewardene today in a World Golf Championship first World Golf Championship. regime, the late Gamini Dissanayake was cricketers and administrators. A list was coached the Sri Lanka team from 1975 to that is surprising even him. Scott was at 12-under 198, the low- Abu’s neighbour, he persuaded the genial drawn up and Abu’s name was included 1987, a national selector for five years and Dissanayake to accept the post of on a proposal by Guy de Alwis, who its chairman for three years, manager of Coming off a missed cut in Japan, est 54-hole score at Firestone in 10 President of the Sri Lanka Cricket insisted that Abu must be considered and the national side, curator and life mem- never better than 20th in stroke play years. He will play in the last group Board, which was in dire straits. received Rs. 250,000, along with others, ber of the CCC and Ex-co member of the in America, the 19-year-old sensation with Ishikawa. In front of them will Dissanayake accepted the offer and repre- towards part of the expenses for his ill- Cricket Board from 1973 to 1987. made six birdies and twice escaped be Jason Day, whose 66 put him one senting Sri Lanka at the ICC promised to ness. He has managed to survive with his When I spoke with him further, Abu, trouble in the trees Saturday for a shot behind. Day and Scott tied for wife Fowzia besides him at all times. He who is always outspoken, lamented that meet all requirements to gain full mem- six-under 64 that put him in the final second in the Masters this year. ber status of the ICC and was successful, lost his sight in both eyes as a result of the former cricketers and administrators group and only one shot behind About the only thing Tiger Woods after Sri Lanka had appealed for over 15 strong medication. His present cost for who had done so much for the game in years without success. his survival is about Rs. 75,000 a month, Sri Lanka in honourary capacities, were Adam Scott in the Bridgestone can now get out of this week are four One main obstacle was to have a only for his medicine. now forgotten, and that he was happy Invitational. rounds and some points to help him venue outside Colombo and Dissanayake This former Wesley cricketer (1951 to that Sri Lanka has gone far in the inter- Along with a $1.4-million payoff, qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs at promised the ICC of the decision taken to 1954) and All-Ceylon (1956 to 1971) spoke national arena. Ishikawa could become the youngest the end of the month. Woods, a develop the Asgiriya grounds of Trinity with pride how he also persuaded However, he showed his disgust at the winner of a PGA Tour event in 100 seven-time winner at Firestone who Minister Dissanayake to build the own manner in which the affairs of Sri Lanka College, Kandy, of which Dissanayake years. hasn’t played in nearly three months, was an old boy. headquarters for Sri Lanka Cricket Cricket are being handled and said that The entire operation of transforming (SLC), at Maitland Place, when there sooner the powers that be take immediate “I think it’s a little too early to struggled again with his putting and Asgiriya took 5½ months and Abu Fuard were moves to shift it to the Tamil union. steps to ‘hound the scoundrels’ out of the think about winning this whole thing had a 72. He was 13 shots behind in a headed the project. He ‘lived’ and stayed He also remembers with pride when cricket set up, it will be the better for the as of now,” Ishikawa said. “But I do tie for 38th in the 76-man field. at the Peradeniya Rest House at his own he was felicitated in the mid 1980s in game and country. feel that I was able to play at a pretty “I’ve just got to put together a good level, a pretty high level today. good round and let it build,” Woods Actually, I’m a little surprised of how said. sets 375 to win

SCOREBOARD Zimbabwe, 1st Innings 370 Bangladesh, 1st Innings 287 Zimbabwe, 2nd innings (Overnight 92-4) Tino Mawoyo b 35 V. Sibanda c N. Hossain b Hossain 38 H. Masakadza c & b Al Hasan 5 105 lbw b Razzak 4 T. Taibu c R. Islam b 59 not out 35 Extras: (2lb, 4w, 4nb) 10 TOTAL: (for five dec.) 291 Did not bat: , , Chris Mpofu, Brian Vitori. Fall of wickets: 1-69, 2-79, 3-83, 4-92, 5-205. : Shafiul Islam 11-3-29-1, Robiul Islam 13-1-48-1 (1nb, 1w), Abdur Razzak 20-5-49-1, 12-2-75-1 (3nb, 1w), 12-3-27-0, 18-4-60-1, 1-0-1-0. Toss: won by Bangladesh Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SL), Bruce Oxenford (Aus) Third Umpire: Jeremiah Matibiri (Zim) Match Referee: Roshan Mahanama (SL)

with (59) sweeping comfortably against the spinners to restore Zimbabwe’s advantage after the African side collapsed to 92-4 in the last session on Saturday. Taibu added just six runs to his lunchtime score before he was well caught by Robiul Islam driving off Brendan Taylor and Tatenda Taibu touch gloves during their stand, Bangladesh the front foot from Shafiul Islam’s Vs Zimbabwe, only Test, , 4th day, August 7, 2011. bowling. Taylor added 86 runs with Test HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Test match at , newcomer Craig Ervine, who fin- New captain Brendan Taylor hit a becoming the first Zimbabwean to ished 35 not out. maiden Test century for Zimbabwe score a century in his first match Zimbabwe is playing in its first and declared at 291-5 at tea on as captain since Dave Houghton Test since 2005 when a fallout Sunday, setting Bangladesh a tar- against India in 1992. between players and administra- get of 375 to win. Taylor hit nine boundaries in tors led to the country voluntarily Taylor finished unbeaten on 105 his 175-ball innings. He shared a withdrawing from the five-day on the fourth day of the one-off 113-run fifth- partnership game.