While the West Indies were beating the world the Island of Sri Lanka was looking for recognition on the world scene and how well they have done, as they ran out to play the West Indies in the first Test of the Sobers/Tissera series at Galle as favourites.
The people of Sri Lanka have long recognised that West Indians played an integral role in their cricket development and three men in particular, were among six cricketing knights that worked during different periods in the country to help build its cricket.
Sir Garfield Sobers, who is being honoured by Sri Lankan Cricket (SLC) this series, Sir Learie Constantine and Sir Frank Worrell, worked in addition to Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Leonard Hutton and Sir Jack Hobbs. Sobers, Worrell and Constantine however left a mark as one cricket official from yesteryear explained to Guardian Media that the people fell in love with them because of their cavalier style of play.
Manager of the Galle Cricket Stadium and official of the South Province Cricket Association, Wilson Kulasuriya explained; “Sri Lankan cricket owes a lot to West Indians because of what they have done for us over the years. I remember the first International match I saw was right here at Galle, when the West Indies team played Sri Lanka on their way to Australia.
“In those days they travelled by ship, so on their way to Australia, they stopped off for a match here at Galle. That was way back in 1948 and up until now, the impression they made on me sticks with me so much that I can recall the scores.
“Ever since West Indians started to come here, our cricket started to benefit and we all loved the way they played their game. Sri Lankans started to believe that they could play cavalier cricket as well and they started to get noticed.”
The West Indies cricket team visited Ceylon in February 1949 and played two First Class matches versus Ceylon. West Indies won the first match at Colombo with centuries from Allan Rae, Sir Everton Weekes, Sir Clyde Walcott and also got a 10-wicket haul from Prior Jones. The second game was drawn with Rae making another century.
The first West Indian to come over to Sri Lanka was T&T’s Constantine. After the war, in which he did excellent work, Constantine turned to other ideas, as he wrote, studied and even entered politics where he was appointed the Minister of Works and Transport in Trinidad. He also decided to assist in the development of cricket and this is where Sri Lanka came in.
Next up was Worrell who came to Sri Lanka and fell in love with the place. He understood their struggle to gain a place among cricket’s elite and was able to help guide their charge to become a recognised cricketing nation.
The man who made the biggest impact however was Sobers who coached the Sri Lankans after they gained Test status in 1981.
The then president of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka-the late Gamini Dissanayake was quick to pounce on the opportunity and made personal contact with Sobers who coached the Sri Lankan cricketers for two years 1982 to 1983. He would then return in the early 90s to do further work with the team, just prior to them taking the cricketing world by storm under Arjuna Ranatunga.