Friday 15th September, 2006 11 Birth of de Soysa Park and Moratuwa Sports Club by Vernon de Mel warts of that generation managed premises. improved state prompted glamour and secretary, Nisal Senaratne ing the period 1978-1993 staged 14 to convince the great philan- According to the then constitu- in the form of a club house for who was responsible for bringing ODIs and several Test matches. Moratuwa Sports Club, born on thropist, the late A. H. T. de Soysa tion of the club, the Chairman, matches and members’ use for the club to what it is today, man- The spectator interest at these 30th of June 1941, has a proud his- of the need for a playground. After Urban Council was to be the indoor games. Here again it was aged to get from the good auspices matches was immense, even sur- tory of 64 years of existence. It negotiations, de Soysa donated President of the Club. The ground de Soysa who fully funded the con- of the then MP for Moratuwa, passing attendance at popular ven- would be pertinent at this stage to five acres of land and a balance was declared open by the late S. W. struction of the clubs’ old pavilion Wimalasiri de Mel from his decen- ues in and other districts. raise the beginnings and impor- two acres owned by Victor de R. D. Bandaranaike, then Minister in 1952. It was opened by the then tralised budget a grant of Rs. The stadium should be devel- tant moments of the club for the Soysa was sold below the prevail- of Local Government, at the invi- Governor General of Ceylon. 50,000 to lay centre turf wickets oped more and brought up to inter- benefit of the present generation. ing price to the Moratuwa Urban tation of the UC Chairman and the The old club house has now and side practice wickets in place national standards so that once It is on record that a club called Council, making them a party to President of Moratuwa Sports given way to a newly built two sto- of matting wickets, to provide bet- again this crazy town will Rawathawatta Boys’ Cricket Club the deal. Club, DR. H. I. Fernando. ried pavilion, the major share ter cricket facilities for the youth benefit and see international crick- existed in 1865. It is at the same With a ground now available, With the end of the second funded by Cricket and of the area. Members and crick- eters at play at their home. This venue that the present Moratuwa deeds being signed on March 1941, World War the ravaged ground the balance by the members of the eters of Moratuwa Sports Club will also help the budding crick- Sports Club and pavilion stands Dr. H. I. Fernando, Chairman which was occupied by the mili- Moratuwa Sports Club amounting engaged in a Shramadana to make eters in the vicinity. today that Rawathawatta Boys Urban Council, Moratuwa con- tary was obtained by the club and to nearly Rs. 50 lakhs. this a success. In 1978, Tyrone In conclusion, it must be men- Club used for cricket matches. vened sports loving people of the built up to playable condition with The de Soysa Park was original- Fernando MP for Moratuwa joined tioned that several cricketers of D. H. L. de Silva, who was area for a meeting for the forma- generous contributions from a ly used primarily for the cricket hands with Moratuwa Sports Club Moratuwa have brought fame and labelled as the father of Moratuwa tion of Moratuwa Sports Club and host of devoted and distinguished matches played by the Moratuwa management to build the present honour to Sri Lanka by their crick- Sports Club was instrumental in finally on the 30th of June, 1941 personalities of Moratuwa Sports Sports Club. In 1976, the Moratuwa stadium and elevate the venue to eting prowess, the names of indi- revitalising cricket in the area. the first AGM of Moratuwa Sports Club. Sports Club management led by Test status. viduals being too numerous to De Silva, with other cricket stal- Club was held at the Town Hall The cricket ground, in an the then President C. E. L. de Silva Moratuwa Sports Club has, dur- mention. Cricket seminar at Ambalangoda

Deputy Chairman Mervyn Jayasinghe, Upul Tharanga and being wel- comed at the Ambalangoda Municipal Council grounds. Head coach, Fingara cricket Academy Hemantha Devapriya leads a training exercise. The first cricket training semi- Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka comprising the best junior crick- In response to an appeal made nar was held last Friday at the cricket team member Upul eters from different areas of Sri by Jagath Senaratne, Principal of Ambalangoda People’s playground Tharanga and head coach of the Lanka. Ambalangoda Kularatne Maha by the Fingara International academy, Hemantha Devapriya. It Jayasinghe also promised, on Vidyalaya, whose western band Cricket Consolidated, as part of a was attended by 130 junior crick- behalf of Finance & Guarantee played at the opening ceremony, countrywide programme. eters for 10 schools. Company Limited, to present a Jayasinghe also pledged to provide The seminar was conducted by Deputy Chairman, Fingara sum of Rs. 100,000 to the Municipal the necessary financial aid in former Sri Lanka and Cricket Academy,said that the aim Council for the restoration of the order to furnish the school’s band coaching advisor, Fingara of these seminars by Fingara is to Ambalangoda People’s play- with the necessary musical instru- International Cricket Academy form teams of various age groups ground. ments. Sri Lanka’s gold medal winning athletes at the 10th South Asian Games were felicitated at a function held at Galadari Hotel on Tuesday. Dulanjali Ranasinghe of Devi Balika Vidyalaya, who won gold in the women’s’ high jump event receives her award from World record breaking cricketers felicitated Vijebandara, of Bandara and Sons Company. Fingara International Cricket Academy (FICA) sponsored the felicitation ceremony All-Island Seven-a-Side Hockey organised by NCC to honour the world record The Royal College Hockey The tournament is being held to breaking performances of Sri Lanka crick- Club will conduct the All Island improve the standard of hockey eters, , Mahela Schools Seven-A-side Hockey at school level and also to encour- Jayawardene, Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul tournament on October 6 and 7, age youth from different back- Tharanga and the NCC cricketers who toured for the fourth consecutive year. grounds and different parts of England early this year. Forty eight men’s and women’s the island to come together and Sri Lankans can truly be proud of the teams from all parts of the island foster friendships and relation- achievements of Sangakkara and Jayawardene will take part in this tournament. ships. (highest in 624) and Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga (high- est opening partnership in ODIs 286). NCC are delighted to have a cricketer in each of the Eriksson eyeing top English club record breaking partnerships – Kumar Sangakkara and Upul Tharanga. Former England coach Sven- year reign in charge of England, The fiery , also from NCC, Goran Eriksson is eyeing a top added:”It’s the only thing in life was a key player for Sri Lanka during the tour English club for his return to I can do well.” of England and he was also felicitated. coaching. Champion off-spinner , The Swede, who parted com- England failed to progress pace ace , skipper Marvan pany with England after the past the quarter-final stage of Atapattu and former Sri Lanka and NCC cap- World Cup, said: “I need to get any major competition under tain Hashan Tillekeatne were also presented with mementos in appreciation of their con- back into coaching.” Eriksson. tribution to . He told The Sun: “Arsenal? But the Swede claimed his The mementos were presented by FICA, the Liverpool? Manchester? They’re failure to land a major trophy main sponsor of the ceremony. Incidentally, all big clubs, and any of those was down to bad luck. Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara would be good.” Eriksson said: “My time with also act as Cricket Ambassadors of FICA. Mervyn Jayasinghe, Deputy Chairman of FICA with the holders of the world record for the highest opening partnership in Eriksson, who earned an England didn’t have the support ODIs - Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga. estimated £25m during his five- of lady luck.”

The Finance Company won the Badulla District Inter-BBank Softball Six- a-SSide cricket tourna- ment, which was held last Saturday. In the final, The Finance beat Uva Development Bank. The tournament was organised by David Pieris Motor Company. The champion team: Standing (L-RR): Indika Pathiraja, J. P. Fernando, A. S. Manawadu (Capt), Gateway College won the Colombo North Under-113 Basketball Championship in a thriller, beating St. Benedict’s College by just one point, Shantha Subasinghe 37-336, at the Colombo International Schools Basketball courts recently. The tournament was organized by Colombo International School. and Ajith Bandara. The champion team and officials: (Seated from left to right): Ricardo Fernando (Captain), Gilson Peiris (Sports co-oordinator), Tharindu (Front row from left): Fernando (Coach), Dr. Harsha Alles (Director), R. I. T Alles (Chairman), Somabandu Kodikara (Headmaster), Shanthi Podimahaththaya Tilan Samaraweera, (Asst. Head of Sports) and Anuranga Ehelepola (Vice-ccapatin). (Standig from left to right): Dimantha Jayaratne, Sajin Alles, Lakshan Lasantha Samarakoon Kodagoda, Easa Zuhair, Faraz Fazlet, Azeen Abdullah, Dhanushka Gunasekara, Ashain Thilakasundaram, Sashin Ramanayake and and Ajith Indika. (Pic by Kaumith Illeperuma. T. Rajah)