Sri Lanka marks the Fiftieth anniversary of List A Cricket on the 21st February, 2023.
Marylebone Cricket Club (M.C.C) led by Glamorgan cricketer Tony Lewis toured Sri Lanka during February 1973 after their Indian leg of the tour and played three games in Sri Lanka.
They began their tour with a one day match against a Central Province team in Kandy (M.C C 273/8 in 50 overs beat Central Province 107 in 38.5 overs by 166 runs) before moving to Colombo for their unofficial Test against Sri Lanka at the Colombo Oval. Sri Lanka led by Michael Tissera gave a superb display against the visitors by restricting them for 163 runs in their first innings after making a disappointing 86 in their first innings.
M C C reached the winning target of 127 runs by losing only three wickets after dismissing Sri Lanka for 200 in the second essay.(Sri Lanka- 86 & 200 lost to M C C - 163 & 127/3 by 7 wickets)
In their final match of the tour the tourists pitted against a formidable Sri Lanka Board President's XI led by Michael Tissera in a one day limited over match at Colombo Oval on 21 st February,1973, before moving to Pakistan.
This limited over match was regarded as the first ever list A match (the official format of the one day limited over game) played in Sri Lanka and opened a new chapter in the annals of Cricket here.
The teams for the match:
Marylebone Cricket Club :- Tony Lewis (Glamorgan- captain), Barry Wood (Lancashire), Dennis Amiss (Warwickshire), Donald Carr (Derbyshire), Keith Fletcher (Essex), Alan Knott (Kent), Roger Tolchard (Leicestershire), Chris Old (Yorkshire), Pat Pocock (Surrey), Norman Gifford (Worcestershire), Bob Cottam (Northamptonshire)
Sri Lanka Board President's XI :- Michael Tissera (Captain) , Bandula Warnapura, Gajan Pathmanathan, Anura Tennekoon, David Heyn, D.Somachandra de Silva, Neil Chanmugam, Russell Harmer, Mevan Pieris, Tony Opatha, Sarath Fernando.
The match was reduced to a 45 over affair and played at the Colombo Oval (now P Sara Oval) in Wanathamulla. Sri Lanka B.P XI captain won the toss and put visitors in to bat first. M C C made 158/5 in their allotted 45 overs thanks mainly to their opener Dennis Amiss, who stroked a splendid unbeaten 102 which was regarded as the first ever List A Hundred in Sri Lanka. Sarath Fernando took 2/33 while Pieris, Chanmugam and de Silva had a wicket apiece.
Sri Lanka Board President's XI reached the winning target in 43.1 overs and consistent run getter Anura Tennekoon led the way with a fine half century. Paceman Chris Old (3/34) was the pick of the bowlers.
Thus Sri Lanka gained a superb 4 wicket victory in their inaugural List A match on their home soil, exactly fifty years ago. Michael Tissera, who led Sri Lanka to two famous victories against Pakistan A (1964) and India (1965) in unofficial Tests was the leader once again in this inaugural encounter and he was regarded as the most successful captain of the pre- Test era.
Chief Scores
M C C : 158/5 (45) (Dennis Amiss 102 n.o, Keith Fletcher 23, Sarath Fernando 2/33)
Sri Lanka Board President's XI: 161/6 (43.1) (Bandula Warnapura 13, Gajan Pathmanathan 24, Anura Tennekoon 61, David Heyn 20 Michael Tissera 22, Chris Old 3/34)
Sri Lanka Board President's XI won by 4 wickets.
The match was officiated by two well known umpires A.C Felsinger and A.O Lappen. The touring team manager Donald Carr also played for this match. Within 23 years, Sri Lanka rose to the top in the fifty over format and won the prestigious Cricket World Cup in 1996 under Arjuna Ranatunga, in Lahore, Pakistan.
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