The distinguishing character of an outstanding cricketer is not only his ability to play well but also to be able to deal with pressure. And often it could be political pressure of sorts or petty bickering that demoralizes one. We had a situation where a cricketer was pushed from pillar to post, shunted in all positions in the batting order, even facing threats to be dropped from the team.
Yet he showed the true sportsman in him, and ducked all bouncers and even underarm deliveries. He surely stood tall unafraid and unbowed, because for him the game was the thing. And the player who rode those beds of nails was ROSHAN SIRIWARDENE MAHANAMA.
As a batsman and fielder and leader by example, he was world class. His problem was that to him a spade was a spade and not any other implement. He stood up against what was wrong, cringing was not in his book and whoever powerful was the opponent did not matter to him. He stood ramrod straight. How we wish there were men of his stature and calibre.
The powers that be of that time, did not like the straight talking and refusing to be a ‘yes sir’ man. He would, if the need arose, knock his head against the dumb heads who were the cricketing rocks at that time and who were revengeful unable to get him to genuflect before them.
Career began to blossom
As his career began to blossom and his form and class being permanent, attempts to drop him failed miserably and the cruel attempt they made was to shunt him from opener, to all other batting positions in the team. But with a smile he would offer a straight bat and score the runs that were important, and finally it was his critics who wriggled like worms and shamelessly acknowledged his indispensability.
MAHANAMA shone from his early days at Nalanda College as a watchful and attacking opening batsman with dash, style and classic technique and a brilliant fielder in the covers second to none in world cricket.
When he made his Test debut for the country against Pakistan in 1986, watching that game and covering that Test which was played at the Colombo Cricket Ground and I was covering that game for the 'Daily Mirror’ and ‘Times of Ceylon’, if my memory serves me right, I was in the company of former Royal College all rounder Lalith Senanayake and brother of opening batsman Nanda Senanayake taking in the action. Both brothers were opponents of the writer in school cricket.
World class fielder
Lalith who had the knack of spotting an extraordinary, captain, batsman, bowler or fielder was after watching MAHANAMA’s mannerism on the field hovering around in the covers, promptly told me that MAHANAMA would be a world class fielder as his career unwinds. And how prophetic Lalith was.
MAHANAMA strode the field like a colossus especially marshaling the cover and point areas. No ball would pass him or would he rarely miss a catch. He had a safe pair of hands and was always on his toes, watchful and nicely positioned to either dive both ways, jump high or dive forward to gobble a lofted shot from the batsman. With MAHANAMA in the covers rarely did batsman attempt to cut or slash. Such was the fear and respect they had for him. How Sri Lanka must be yearning for catchers of his class.
Like Sanath Jayasuriya had a liking to hit sixes to quench his thirst and while bowlers suffered the ignominy of watching the balls sail over the line. MAHANAMA had the god given prowess of taking catches that were breathtaking. In addition to gobbling up catches, he saved hundreds of runs for his team and country. Believe it or not in all formats of the game from Test cricket, to one-day cricket, to First class he pocketed a total of 421 catches - The breakdown – TESTS 56 - ONE DAYERS 109 - FIRST CLASS 136 – ‘A’ GAMES 120. A proud record to caw about.
On catches and the cliche that 'catches win matches', when I met former great Australian captain and leg spinning all rounder Richie Benaud in Australia, he told me that a dropped catch may not necessarily mean losing, but it can make winning that much more difficult.
Consistent scores
MAHANAMA was made to open batting. That was how he was taught the game at Nalanda College. He continued that way playing for Bloomfield Cricket Club and Colombo Cricket Club. He walked into the national team after his consistent and telling scores in that position. Once he sported national colours it was not a bed of roses for him. His outspokenness that was an example and hall mark in his life led him to trouble against a dictator of that time who was calling the tune. They were trying to keep him out batting him in all possible positions, but undeterred he faced it all and finally emerged the winner bowling out his detractors.
MAHANAMA whose concentration was unwavering and technique an example was associated in massive stand of 576 runs for the second wicket with his good friend and dashing opener Sanath Jayasuriya with MAHANAMA making 225 and Jayasuriya 340 against India at the R.Premadada Stadium in 1997 which took Sri Lanka to the best Test total of 952 beating the record of 903 held by England.
It came as a surprise when after the disaster of the 1996 World Cup he was made one of the fall guys and was dropped with the selectors of that era saying that he was being left out in an endeavor to groom youngsters. He had a lot more cricket ahead of him and his dropping will go down as one of the injustices of Sri Lanka cricket. MAHANAMA in a no punches pulled autobiography titled ‘RETIRED HURT’ by famous Australian cricket writer Ken Piesse told it all.
Exalted company
After being forced to quit the game he loved best and played with great respect and dignity, he joined the exalted company of the that great batsman/captain RANJAN MADUGALLE who is a monument to Sri Lanka cricket as a match referee and quit that post too having done the job to the best of his ability and the satisfaction of his superiors and all cricketers and teams.
MAHANMA made his test debut vs Pakistan at the Colombo Cricket Club Ground on March 4, 1986. He played his last Test vs South Africa at the Super Sport Park on March 27, 1998. He made his ODI debut vs Pakistan at Asgiriya Stadium on March 2, 1986 ad played his last ODI vs Kenya at the County Ground on May 30, 1999. He was one of the props in the 1995/96 Sri Lanka World Cup winning team.
MAHANAMA’S batting records – TESTS 52 – RUNS 2576 – HIGHEST 225 – CENTURIES 4 – FIFTIES 11. ODIs 213 – RUNS 5162 – HIGHEST 119 not out – CENTURIES 4 – FIFTIES 35. FIRST CLASS 137 – RUNS 6698 – HIGHEST 225 – HUNDREDS 12 – FIFTIES 31. LIST A MATCHES – 250 – RUNS 6374 - HIGHEST 119 no – CENTURIES 6 – FIFTIES 41.
He is surely a legend for his upstanding qualities and outstanding performances.
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