Life and times in sport

Ajit Jayasekera - an asset to Sri Lanka cricket

BY PREMASARA Epasinghe

TODAY, I feature one of the most successful former Sri Lanka cricket managers namely Air Commodore Ajit Jayasekera.

Let us define briefly some of the important qualities of a successful cricket manager.

What makes you a good manager?

If you put in a nut-shell, it will read as follow:

(a) Good communication skill within and outside or good relations with the team and public.

(b) Maintaining discipline by example.

(c) Respect of the team you are handling. You must be able to give them respect.

(d) Good knowledge of the game, rules and regulations.

(e) To handle media properly, both print and electronic.

(f) You must be a good speaker, communicator, who carry aspirations of every Sri Lankan.

(g) Honesty and integrity.

(h) You must be able to take decision in the interest of the team.

Keeper-opener

I consider former Thomian wicket keeper opening batsman, who played for S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia from 1967-1969. Later he turned out for SSC, NCC and Air Force, Adastrians with distinction. He was undoubtedly, a cricket manager par-excellence.

Family background

Ajit Jayasekera hails from a highly respectable family. They are from Baddegama. He was born on 7th February 1950. His father late Deshabandu Aelien Jayasekera.

Another distinguished old Thomian, was a Chartered Civil Engineer, who retired as Director of Highways. Ajit's mother's name is Sundari. She is a housewife.

Ajit is married to Jacinta, a school teacher. They have a daughter and a son - Shamali and Shalindra.

Air Commodore Ajit was the former Director Electronics and Telecommunications Engineer in the Sri Lanka Air Force. Presently he is the Group General Manager GE Group of Companies.

Coaches and wardens

Ajit played for S. Thomas', Mount Lavinia as a junior cricketer and graduated to the First XI.

He was coached by the legendary cricket coaches at S. Thomas' College - late Lassie Abhyawardhana and Orville Abeynaike (father of Ranil Abeynaike).

At S. Thomas' College, Ajit studied under four distinguished wardens - Rev. Canon R.S.de Saram M.A. (Oxen) OBE, 1932-1958, C.H.L. Davidson (1959-1965), Rev. A.J.C. Selvaratnam (1965-1969) and S.J. Anandanayagam (1968-1977) Ajit played for S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia from 1967-1969 as wicket-keeper opening batsman.

He opened batting with David Ponniah, the present Warden of S. Thomas' College. In 1967, Dr. David Ponniah scored an unbeaten century in his debut. In the first innings Ajit (31) and David Ponniah (21) put on 56 runs for the 18th wicket and in the second essay, Ajit Jayasekera (75 run out) and David Ponniah (100 not out) had an alliance of 118 runs.

Others who were the proud Blue, Black and Blue Cap that year were D.L.De Saram, P.L.D. Kariyawasam, M. Wijesinghe, M.A. Hameed, J.H. Ried and L.D. Peiris.

To play in a historic Royal-Thomian encounter, wear a Blue - Gold and Blue Cap and Blue-Black and Blue Cap, is one of the highest that a schoolboy cricketer can achieve.

A good record as manager

If you analyse and see and if my memory rights right, during the three and half years of Jayasekera's tenure of office as Sri Lanka cricket manager his success rate was considerably high. Success rate of tests were about 43% and the OD's 60%.

Ajit served Sri Lanka cricket as cricket manager from 2000-2002 and then, again 2002 to September 2004. It is rather unfortunate, that such a successful cricket manager is sidelined today.

I feel, that the cricket authority should make use of such a cricket manager, who possesses a wealth of experience and who paved by capabilities.

Transfer of training in life

"Do you think that your education at S. Thomas' was a real transfer of training to your life?", I posed a question.

"I must tell you very frankly at S. Thomas' we got a complete education. S. Thomas' is a school with a great tradition. It reminds me a quotation of one of our great wardens' - Canon R.S. Saram.

"We in our day must preserve the traditions and hand them over to those who come after us. We come and go, but S. Thomas's Esto Perpetua.

In 1967 and 1968, Ajit Jayasekera captained the college athletic team. He was a fine athlete, his pet events were 110 metres hurdles and 400 metres. Under his captaincy S. Thomas' College won the junior and senior Tarbet and Jefferson Cups in their successive years.

Further, he played First XV Rugby for college. Ajit Jayasekera played for Ceylon Schools in 1967. His brother Mohan played for S. Thomas' College in 1966 and subsequently played for NCC. Mohan Jayasekera is recently in Perth, Australia.

When Ajit was serving in the Sri Lanka Air Force, there were number of high ranking officers who helped and guided him.

They were Wing Commander Noel Fernando, another distinguished Thomian presently the Managing Director Finlay's Travels Limited, Vauxhall Street, Colombo 2, a leading invest firm in Sri Lanka, Squadron Leader Rex Fernando, former Air Force Commanders Paddy Mendis, Harry Gunatilleke, Oliver Ranasinghe and Jayalath Weerakkody, who were all good sportsmen in their days.

Ajit Jayasekera is one of the nicest gentlemen that I have met. He is a fine human being and a thorough gentleman, and a fine cricket manager and an excellent P.R. Man.