He mastered his art as a pace bowler at Rahula College, Matara before coming down to Colombo and growing in stature and finally sporting the country’s much treasured cap GALAGE PRAMODYA WICKREMASINGHE.
Tall and strongly built with a structure ideal for fast bowling, WICKREMASINGHE has a record that will be envied by many bowlers and that being capturing 10 wickets for 41 in a limited over match against Kalutara YCC which is a rare feat at whatever level
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He was a bowler who had an easy run up to the wicket and that gives him the speed as he neared the wicket to unleash his variety of deliveries with a lovely action that batsmen found difficult to read the movement of the ball and get in line to execute.
In the history of Sri Lanka cricket, fast bowlers have been rolling out of the production machines in their numbers. Names that come to mind are many.
Leading the sped merchants was ‘Kalay’ Jayasundera who was a terror in the 1940s. Before the country was admitted a full member of the International Cricket Conference we had speedsters who were like bullet trains whose names are mentioned below.
In the 1950s, ’60s and ‘70s when the whistle stop games, the unofficial Tests or Gopalan Trophy games were the serious cricket the country played, and most importantly when no protection was provided to batsmen, like helmets, chest, thigh guards and elbow guards, batsmen wore only the ‘box’.
Fiery speed
Yet they stood up to the fiery speed of speedsters like Stanley de Alwis, ‘Tita’ Nathanilelsz, T.B.Kehelgamuwa, L.R. Gunetilleke, Sonny Yatawara, Sylvester Dias, Nihal Zoysa, Cecil Waidyaratne, Norton Fredrick, Dennis Ferdinands, Anton Perera, J.K.C. Gunesekera, Nihal Samarasekera, Glen Vanlangenberg and Jackie Robertson to name few that come to mind were fearsome to face. Today’s fast bowlers are nowhere near the speed of those mentioned above.
Yet batsmen of that era were gutty, fearless and faced and scored runs off them with grace and style blunting their express speed and frustrating them. These bowlers had bouncers that were threatening if struck. But batsmen played the hook shot to perfection that sailed for six and the fast bowlers refrained from bouncing.
After gaining Test status there were menacing fast bowlers like Asantha de Mel, Rumesh Ratnayake, Ravi Ratnayake, Vinodhan John, Graeme Labrooy and Lasith Malinga. This week in the ‘SPORTS LEGENDS’ column the writer features another fine paceman who joined the exalted company of the above mentioned.
Top class players
WICKREMASINGHE decided right when he joined the Sinhalese Sports Club where there were top class players which included Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga who corrected the little faults he had and it was not long before he was included to the national pool after the Youth Asia Cup tournament in Bangladesh in 1989. In 1991 he toured England with the Sri Lanka ‘B’ team.
WICKREMASINGHE was in the Sri Lanka World Cup winning team in 1996, but sadly did not get a game with other more penetrative bowlers in the team. He played in 40 Test matches capturing 85 wickets with his best figures being 6 for 80.
But it was in the one-day game that he showed his true potential capturing 109 wickets with his best being 4 for 48. In 123 first class matches he pocketed 345 wickets. I was on many tours with WICKREMASINGHE and watched him bowl exceedingly well beating many batsmen with his late swing, but not having the fortune to capture more wickets.
Career cut short
He had his career cut short by a shoulder injury but was in the swim of things in Sri Lanka Cricket as a selector. He was one of the most like able and disciplined cricketer who was a good conversationalist but was shy to talk about his exploits.
WICKREMASINGHE played his First Test against Pakistan at Sialkot from December 12 to 17 1991. His final Test was against South Africa at Centurion from January 20 to 25, 2001. His ODI debut was against Bangladesh in Kolkota on December 31, 1990 and the last ODI against England at Manchester in July 7, 2002.
WICKREMASINGHE who started his club career at SSC also played for Burgher Recreation Club and also Tamil Union. WICKREMASINGHE also served the game as a selector.
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