MAHINDA WIJESINGHE | Daily News

MAHINDA WIJESINGHE

Sri Lanka Cricket Foundation executive secretary Mahinda wijesinghe (on left), Chairman of the SLCF Gamini Dissanayake (centre) and Sir Garfield Sobers
Sri Lanka Cricket Foundation executive secretary Mahinda wijesinghe (on left), Chairman of the SLCF Gamini Dissanayake (centre) and Sir Garfield Sobers

continued from last week

At the end of the first full season (in 1957), Mahinda developed a life-long injury to his left shoulder which, after a month in hospital, basically left him completely impaired as far as a left-arm spinner was concerned. Advised by his doctors that he can no longer continue playing the game Mahinda was shattered. However the game had seeped into him too far. Then he realized the only way to get back into the game was to develop as a batsman – a left-hander.

By the end of the school season he not only won the School Bowling prize but he, along with left-hand batsman Michael Dias, were picked for a Combined Schools Cricket XI. However the injury had taken its toll on Mahinda’s arm and he lost out in playing the 1958 season for Royal, but he came back to get his ‘colours’ in the 1959 season. This was the season where Royal had 12 ‘colours men’ including eleven members of that side who each had scored a half-century and all others - other than the wicket-keeper of that team had captured at least one wicket. No wonder Royal enjoyed a rollicking season.

After leaving school Mahinda joined Bloomfield C.& A. C. and was selected for the P.Saravanamuttu Trophy XI as an opening batsman. On his debut, he opened the batting with Lucky Abeywardene against the Tamil Union at the Oval, and records showed that he had scored 66 runs in an opening partnership of over a hundred runs. This form continued. In an unprecedented run of batting form he went onto win Mercantile Batting prizes in the A, B, C & D divisions on more than one occasion.

However, he takes more pride in his contributions for the game rather than his personal skills on the field. This is best described by David Miller – Chairman of the Association of Cricket Statisticians &Historians who described Mahinda as follows:

‘A REMARKABLE MAN’

Mahinda Wijesinghe is a remarkable man. He led the way in proposing a link between on-field umpires and television cameras. Then, when MCC’s Laws included an incorrect conversion from imperial to metric in the weight of the junior cricket ball with profound implications for ball manufacturers, it was Mahinda whose persistence helped to bring about a correction. It was he who challenged the games’ law-makers to ban the use of wicket-keeping gauntlets with webbing that had started to give –keepers an unfair advantage. It was Mahinda again behind the development of a device to encase the arm of MuttiahMuralidaran, a device that helped to demonstrate that Murali’s arm does not straighten in the delivery action……..

CF119X6

Wales

December 2007.

It was also pleasant to observe the gift Murali has given Mahinda for his assistance in helping him get over his problem by a gift of a shirt with many compliments written on it. Mahinda has framed it and this hangs very proudly in his gallery. Along with that is another photograph of Don Bradman, autographed personally by the great man to Mahinda. Another photograph is that of himself and England’s fast bowler Frank Tyson 'engaged in a deep conversation. The third photograph is that of himself, secretary of the Sri Lanka Cricket Foundation, Sir Garfield Sobers and Chairman of the SLCF Gamini Dissanayake.

Now in order to get an opinion from Mahinda about the current situation in Sri Lanka Cricket it was rather difficult. However reluctantly he agreed. Referring to the fact that all our past ‘greats’ refused to comment on this situation, Mahinda said, that by itself is your answer. Yes he said we are now in a situation where “I cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

“For instance, why are the Selectors – and possibly other important members of the SLC who wield a lot of power – still seemed to be insisting on playing Angelo Mathews who on his own admission is nursing an injury for the past several seasons?” An uninspiring leader fielding in the first slip position serves no purpose, especially when he is refusing to appear at the bowling crease as well. Now he says that “within in the next couple of months he hopes (mind you these are mere hopes!”) return to the bowling crease. In other word he is admitting that he is carrying an injury which in itself indicates he is not fit to play in the team – and is setting a bad example.

The above statements made by Mahinda Wijesinghe may sound harsh, however coming from a man who has an impeccable track record both home and abroad should never be taken lightly.Is it not a good idea to give Mahinda his due place in the cricketing fraternity in Sri Lanka? Over to you the men up above!!

In conclusion I would like to state that men of Mahinda Wijesinghe’s calibre are a dying breed who never wanted to join the gravy train. He respected the game first and foremost.Tina Turner in her hit saw of the past sang “He’s simply the best , better than all the rest.” Mahinda fits the bill. 


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