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Anura Ranasinghe an exciting cricketer

by Premasara Epasinghe

Anura Ranasinghe

Sometimes, people say, an individual is born with a silver spoon in the mouth. This is to show, by birth, such a person is privileged. To speak symbolically on a rare occasion, a child may be born with an invincible bat in hand. This signifies a future cricketing potentiality.

Anura Nandana Ranasinghe is a cricketer by birth, as it were, because, he was able to insight excitement at all levels of the game. I consider him, as the most exciting cricketer that I have seen.

Late Anura Ranasinghe did not have even a trace of narrow selfishness. The idea of winning for one's self was quite distant from his mind. He would selflessly give credit and honour and even physical presents to those who excelled in the game.

An Incident

I recollect an incident at a school encounter- Royal Versus Nalanda, played way back in late 1980's, at Reid Avenue. Roshan Mahanama completed a fine century and Thilanga Sumathipala was unbeaten with a brilliant half a century.

When, Mahanama scored his hundredth run, Anura, rushed to the playing field, forgetting everything else and congratulated them. I have never seen an expression of joy and appreciation of this nature earlier.

SL - India Test 1982-India

If some good fairy was to ask me, to pickout, one of the most memorable matches I have commentated, my choice would be the first official test, between Sri Lanka and India, played at Cheapuk, Madras (Chennai) in late 1982.

The noise and excitement had to be seen to be believed with players looking like white puppets at the bottom of a large bowl, surrounded by towering stands. Cricket is almost a religion in the India and sub-continent, and the support is fanatical.

I had enjoyed every minute behind the mike. It brought me close to the game. It is amazing the things that go through my mind, while I sit there, watching the memories as it evokes.

One of the great pleasures of commentating and touring the world is having an opportunity to visit places, observe different cultures, seeing things you would otherwise never have experienced.

Palitha Perera highly respected renowned commentator and I had the distinction of commentating the first ever Indo-Sri Lanka test played at Madras (Chennai) and the ODI played at Bangalore. This was the first ever commentary and telecast handled by the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation in a foreign soil.

Incidentally, this was the last assignment of Kaluaracchige Mahinda Perera, Sports commentator and reputed Broadcaster popularly known as Tommy Perera in a foreign soil.

Unfortunately our beloved friend Tommy, met with a motorcycle accident and died few days after his return from India. The name Tommy, was given to him by Mr. Ondatjee - An English Programme organiser at SLBC, and it became a household name in Sri Lanka.

In a tall scoring test match, Duleep Mendis scored twin centuries, Roy Dias 97 Anura Ranasinghe scored a brilliant 77 in the second essay and saved Sri Lanka. Sunil Gaveskhar (155) and Dilip Vengsakar too scored centuries. Every department of cricket was seen at its best during this match.

Anura was a player who could turn defeat into victory or save a team from the jaws of defeat, at any given time.

Fearless - Anura

Fear is the worst enemy of every cricketer. Anura's philosophy with batting in fairly simple. He is fearless and likes to attack and he never got bogged down at any level.

Cricket is a simple game. Once you cover the stumps, and the ball is outside your body, there is no way it can hit the woodwork. You should always move and cover your wicket.

Anura, is a difficult batsman to dislodge. I consider Anura's 77 runs, as an innings of supreme talent and power. At his most vicious, Anura picked up balls from Kapil Dev. Madun Lal and Dilip Doshi, just a fraction short of good length with the middle stump.

These, he flicked to square leg, off the front foot, and sent the ball with few bounces into the rails, just like sending a flat pebble hopping over a calm sea. It was an innings decorated by Anura's trade mark strokes, the pull, the hook and off drive and on-drive.

Anura was born on 13th October 1956. His parents were S.B. Ranasinghe, An Apothecary, and mother Muriel Ranasinghe - a housewife.

They were residing at Kirillapone, adjoining the Municipal playground. His elder brother Lakshman and younger brother Aruna represented Nalanda in the first XI. Bandula, elder to Anura passed away recently. Anura's two sisters are Suwinitha and Rohini.

In the year 1968, I joined the staff of Nalanda Vidyalaya as a Graduate Teacher and was appointed as the master-in-charge of cricket and the prefect of games. I was staying at Nugagahawatta, Kirillapone off Sieble Avenue.

How I spotted Anura

On a sun-kissed Sunday, morning, my wife, who was a teacher attached to Stafford Ladies College, Colombo 7 and I, were proceeding to buy our weekly provisions from the Kirillapone Pola. At Kirillapone Park, I saw a Tennis Ball cricket match in full swing. A tiny tot, a right hand batsman, was in full cry, hammering the daylights out of the senior players.

I told my wife to do the marketing and stayed behind to witness the match played at the park.

I was highly impressed with this little boy's batting prowess. I inquired from some of the spectators who this child was. They told me, this boy is the son of S.B. Ranasinghe and showed me his house. Straight away, I walked into their house, adjoining the park and spoke to his parents. Mr. Ranasinghe said "Sir, this boy is studying at Nalanda. We know that you are also teaching there".

I told his parents to send Anura to me in school. On the following day Anura met me. I asked Anura to turn up for under 12 practices.

This little rascal is a future Sathasivam

From the inception, I noticed something very special in this boy. At practices I used to bowl fairly fast to him. He used to face me fearlessly and despatched some of my deliveries to the boundary. He had his own style. Sometimes, his but comes from the third man position. One day I invited our senior coach, at that time the Sri Lanka National coach Gerry Gooneratne, to have an eye on this boy.

(After facing two overs Gooneratne made this remark, which is still echoing in my mind "My God Epasinghe!, this little rascal is a future Sathasivam. For heavens sake, do not try to curb this boy's natural shots. This fellow is a born cricketer. Allow him to play his normal game". I took his advice.

Anura's cricket career not a Bed of Roses

Anura's cricketing career was never a bed of roses. Just two days before the under 17 finals against Royal College, the Cinnamon Garden School lodged a protest challenging Anura to that he is playing on a bogus birth certificate. At that time, I was attached to Bank of Ceylon. The Principal Atukorale contacted me.

Two of us went to the Registrar General's Department and obtained another copy of his birth certificate and submitted to the authorities and proved that he was not overage. Thus two of us got the green light for Anura to play in the all important final. The rest was history.

He whipped and massacred the Royalists in the finals and scored a power packed century. The match was played at St. Peter's College Grounds, Bambalapitiya.

Late. P.M. Jayatileke

Like Old Nalandian, P.M. Jayatilleke (Former Principal Ibbagamuwa Central and Thurstan College former President SLSCA) who scored the first century (111) in the Ananda - Nalanda big match in 1928) when teaching at St. Peter's College, playing in a staff students annual encounter in the late 1930s, deposited 5 balls to the Wellawatta canal. Anura hoisted 6 balls in to the canal to the amazement of Royal coach Col. F.C. De Saram.

Nihal Withana

Another Nalandian who hit 4 towering sixes to the Wellawatta canal in 1956, was my former captain Nihal Withana, a highly qualified, reputed and respected Engineer residing in England presently. He played for the University of Ceylon in the early 1960s.

Most. Fierce batsman

Anura became the most fierce batsman in the school cricket in 1974/75. He became the schoolboy cricketer of the year too.

Just five days before the Ananda-Nalanda Big-match, Anura had a jaw injury. Although, he was not one hundred percent fit, he played and captured 16 wickets with his left arm pace bowling. First innings, he captured 8 for 32. He is a utility player.

Won the Ali Bhutto Trophy

As a schoolboy, he captained the Under 19 Sri Lanka Team and beat Javed Miandad's Pakistan under 19 team and won the Ali Bhutto Trophy. In this match, Ranjan Madugalle captured eight wickets and helped Sri Lanka to win. Madugalle later captained the Sri Lanka team and today, he is a highly respected match referee.

Won Sri Lanka Cap

Anura won his "Sri Lanka Cap" in 1975 against west Indies. In the match played at the CCC grounds, Anura fearlessly hooked fiery paceman Vanburn Holder four times.

Gerry Gooneratne once told me, that Sathasivam was so impressed about this youngster and Sathasivam commentated.

"Gerry, you are a selector, look after this boy Anura. He is a freak like me. He has a good eye. He is a fearless fellow."

This way one of the highest compliments that Anura got from no lesier person then legendary M. Sathasivam, one of the greater batsmen of all time.

Member of the first World Cup - 1975

Anura played in the first world cup in 1975 as a schoolboy.

Principal Atukorale - Coaches Gooneratne and Mendis Former Principal Sugunadasa Atukorale coaches Gerry Gooneratne and Nelson Mendis guided Ranasinghe, in his cricket career. Cecil Gamage - a teacher also assisted him.

Grateful to former Minister late K.B.R.

Late K.B. Ratnayake, the former Minister, who ushered the golden age of Sri Lanka sports, helped Anura and assisted in a big way. He was a father figure. He helped Anura and many sportsmen and sportswomen.

In the era spanning from 1975-1985, Anura was undoubtedly one of the best all-rounders. If he fails with the bat, he will have a sensational bowling spell. If he fails in both, he will take a stunning, catch and it will be the talking point. He was a versatile player.

Biggest Disappointment

His biggest disappointment was when he was overlooked for the first official test which Sri Lanka played against England which began on 18th February 1982 at the Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo.

If my memory serves right, in an ODI match, just on the eve of the first test against England, Anura scored a brilliant half a century.

Downfall

Anura Ranasinghe's down fall began after the South African Rebel Tour 1982/83. His national cricket career ended as the "Rebel Players" who played in the Apartheid South Africa were banned playing cricket for Sri Lanka. For Anura there was no life without cricket. His bad days began.

Two persons helped him in his hour of need. They were Asoka Senanayake - Chairman, Pelwatte Sugar Corporation and that fine gentleman, fatherly figure, Shelly Wickramasinghe former President of the Bloomfield and Athletic club in the latter stages of his life. Anura coached Ananda Sasthralaya and under 25 team of Bloomfield his own club.

Cared very little for himself

When I look back upon his short career, which ended on 9th November 1998, I was saddened, because, in the last stages of his life, Anura cared very little for himself. He was a very loyal and obedient student of mine.

Although I was a strict teacher, I was like a "Godfather" to him.

One great quality with Anura was that he always respected his Teachers and coaches, and he was ever grateful to them.

Journey's End

Going down memory lane, I still remember, as a teacher attached to my "alma mater" Nalanda Vidyalaya, how I was leading those for tiny tots - Anura and his younger brother - Aruna, to "Dawson Aiyas School Bus" in the late 1960 is at the Kirillapone Bus stand.

Ironically, with tearful eyes, I stood under the same shady Banyan Tree Bus Halt, by the side of the Kirillapone Park, where Anura started his cricket career as a child, and witnessed his funeral procession winding its way slowly towards Poorwarama road proceeding to Kirillapone Cemetery. That was his last journey.

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