The Lion in the fluttering Sri Lanka Flag during Sri Lanka cricket matches comes alive and commands the attention of all fans. This LION speaks with an authoritative tone and becomes virtually the mascot for the Sri Lanka team. It has entered into Sri Lankan folk lore. This Lion by another name is PERCY ABEYSEKERA.
ABEYSEKERA is already a LEGEND. When foreign teams started visiting the country and playing what was termed ‘whistle stop games’ because they were one-day hit abouts, a young guy started his cheering career, that has now reached, if one was to use cricketing parlance world class.
‘Whistle stop’ games
Those games were termed ‘whistle stops’ because unlike today when teams jet from country to country, in the good old days teams visited by ship, they broke journey and indulged in a game to stretch their sea weary legs.
At the start of his now glittering cheering career that has spanned decades, ABEYSEKERA has left a niche that no other country could produce a traveling cheer man of ABEYSEKERA’S class to cheer and inspire their cricketers.
Opening his cheering innings, ABEYSEKERA used to run round the Colombo Oval where most games were played shouting encouragement to local cricketers. He had a voice that would resonate and which inspired the local cricketers. But when the need arose he would not hesitate to castigate the local players.
International greats
But he did not forget the international greats who played here. He cheered them too. But once the country attained the elusive Test portals which saw teams playing here regularly ABEYSEKERA’S popularity began to grow.
But while shouting inspiration, he needed a partner and that partner came in the form of the Sri Lankan Lion Flag which has now become his cheering partner and like Mary and the little lamb everywhere that ABEYSEKERA goes his flag was sure to go.
ABEYSEKERA endeared himself to all local and visiting international cricketers. To many his cheering was a revelation and they watched in amazement as he found the energy to run round the fields and cheer locals and international cricketers for their outstanding deeds with bat or ball or when a brilliant catch was held.
Without scoring
When a batsman was out without scoring, a catch was grassed or a bowler takes a battering, he would shout words of encouragement to them and won their hearts.
Of the many jibes that are well remembered are these. When the Australians played here and when their opening batsman David Boon was going into bat minutes before lunch ABEYSEKERA shouted – ‘Come on Boon, you Tasmanian goon, come back soon, before noon’.
And true to his words Boon actually got out soon and as furious as he often is, returned to the pavilion cursing. Percy went up to say ‘bad luck’. A livid Boon chased after PERCY to hit him with the bat. But PERCY was lucky as Boon tripped and fell.
Several jibes
But of the several jibes that evoked laughter was this one. India were playing a Test match at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground and ABEYSEKERA was at his best shouting encouragement to the Sri Lankans who were dominating the game.
Watching the action were President J.R.Jayewardene and President of the Cricket Board Gamini Dissanayeke from the VIP enclosure. A spectator adjoining that enclosure shouted ‘PERCY go home’. His witticism was top class as he replied ‘your wife at home?’. President Jayewardene, Dissanayeke and others in the VIP enclose burst out in loud laughter.
Here’s more – when the England spinner Geoff Cope had been hit all round the ground by the Sri Lankan batsmen at the Oval PERCY shouted. ’Cope, there’s no hope, until you call the Pope’.
Receiving end
South African born England captain Tony Greig too was at the receiving end. ‘Hey Greg, you’ve got your height, I’ve got my might, I will send you up like a kite, if the air is right, then I will have you for a bite, especially if I am tight’.
Sanath Jayasuriya was batting and one heckler tried to humiliate PERCY saying – ‘Hey PERCY pinna (one who gets free meals, drinks etc)- only to get a cracker of a reply. ‘Mamma pinna –bat karanne Sanna, umbae amma gonna’. The heckler beat a hasty retreat.
‘Russel Arnold, now a leading TV commentator was having a bad patch with the bat during his tenure with the Lankan team. PERCY met him when he was having a net and Arnold said. ‘Uncle you are now boring’. ‘That is because you are not scoring’, Arnold went dumb.
Calypso music
To former West Indies captain Alvin Kallicharan, who is said to be an ardent lover of calypso music PERCY sang Jamaican Johnny style - –‘Let’s put mann and woman together, to see which one is smarter.
Some say mann, but I say no, woman is smarter not so long ago. I had a girl called Caroline, she called me honey boy all the time, when I went home late last night, she was ding dong bell with a friend of mine’.
Another Calypso from PERCY singing while the papare, papare band played. ‘A cricket crazy son asks.
Father, father what is that hanging like a cricket bat? – then the father answers, ‘sanna, sanna, that is what, which made your mama’s tummy fat’, to loud laughter by the spectators.
Not so long ago PERCY was one of the mourners at Sports Journalist Ranjan Anandappa’s burial at the Kanatte cemetery when Anandappa’s former Editor-in-chief of the ‘Sunday Observer’ Dinesh Weerawansa in the company of the writer and Fr.Felician Perera, Parish Priest of St.Mary’s Church Bambalapitiya who officiated at the funeral service seeing PERCY asked.
‘PERCY where’s the flag?. PERCY’S witty reply –‘In the bag’. There was no loud laughter, because it was a solemn occasion. Another one from PERCY went like this.
An England cricket fan told PERCY that they have a cheer squad known as 'BARMY ARMY'.and wanted to know whether Sri Lanka had one too..
'Yes.said PERCY we call them 'APPUARMY'. PERCY have you a DEGREE asked another fan. 'No' said Percy.But I come from good PEDIGREE.
Non-playing captain
PERCY is at times referred to as the non-playing country’s captain, because when he sees a cricketer or the captain not performing correctly he would shout sound advice and how it should be done which was graciously accepted.
PERCYS greatest moment and which he still reminisces with great joy was to be present proudly waving the lion flag when Sri Lanka captured cricket’s Mount Everest by winning the World Cup in Lahore, Pakistan in 1996 beating the mighty Australians in the final.
PERCY and LIONEL who were the cheer leaders were pelted with oranges and other rubbish by some of the spectators. But fearless and undaunted they took the rubble and had the last laugh when Sri Lanka won the final.
Life in danger
There was a moment when PERCY’S life was in danger. I was there at the Melbourne Cricket Ground covering the tour for the ‘DAILY NEWS’ and ‘SUNDAY OBSERVER’. PERCY led the cheering in Bay 13 with a packed Bay of Sri Lankan supporters, heckling Shane Warne and Mark Waugh who were alleged to have been involved in match fixing.
Unable to take the heckling the drunken Aussie louts in the adjoining Bay became furious and when things seemed to be getting out of hand the Police came up to Percy and escorted him out to prevent what could have been a nasty incident.
At 80 PERCY ABEYSEKERA is, to use cricketing parlance still keeping his end up at the wicket and says that until the Greaty Scorer raises his finger ruling him OUT, he will faithfully support Sri Lanka’s cricket.
When lesser and dubious mortals are showered praise and honour, it is time that Sri Lanka Cricket and the Country honour the great man for his loyalty to the game for over 50 years by naming Maitland Place where Sri Lanka Cricket is situated as the Percy Abeysekera Place or Mawatha as a tribute.
‘SPORTS LEGENDS’ come in many forms. ABEYSEKERA a former cricketer at St. Aloysius College Galle was a left hand bat and a leg spin/googly bowler like the writer. He is best described as a ‘CHEER LEGEND’ of world renown. Keep batting PERCY.
Add new comment