Re-developed ground for Bens

Elmo Rodrigopulle

NEW GROUND: It will be a day that would remain etched in the memory of Benedictines, both young and old, when the newly re-constructed playground at Blomendhal Road is ceremonially opened by Deshamanya H.K. Dharmadasa tomorrow.

Following the opening, a foundation stone will be laid by illustrious Old Ben, Mohammed Maharoof MP Colombo District for a C.M.M. Maharoof Memorial Sports Hostel.

The day's proceedings would begin with a Concelebrated Thanksgiving Holy Mass at St. Lucia's Cathedral at 8 a.m. organised by Kenneth Dabrera a committee member OBU. The events will end with sports programmes.

St. Benedict's College, an 140 year old institution, first acquired the land on which the ground was built in 1930 by one of the greatest Directors the college had in Rev. Luke Gregory.

The land was a marsh and it fell on the capable hands of Bro. Ladislaus, a Czechoslovakian who was the Prefect of Games of that time and Rogus Perera the efficient groundsman to bring it to playing standard.

With a large number of students, it was paramount that the Bens needed a playground and once that became a reality, sports all round began to improve and reach champion class.

Soccer, cricket and hockey reached great heights. Lovellyn Rayen led the first Bens team that was adjudged unofficial schools cricket champions in 1957. The coach was Edward Kelaart, POG A. Gnanapraagasam who was par excellence and the Director, Bro. Alban Patrick in whose memory the pavilion that he helped to build has been named. Bro. Alban also initiated the laying of the turf wickets.

Cricket reached even bigger heights in 1964 when Sunil Fernando, brother of Ranjith captained the team and led them to famous outright victories over S. Thomas, Royal, St. Joseph's, St. Anthony's Kandy and St. Peter's.

Then Albert Fernando another proud Old Ben who was the first to be in possession of a soccer trainer's licence from Brazil and who introduced the Brazilian magic to the game at the college churned out champions year in and year out.

Players who lived up to the Brazilian style of play were Denzil Walles, Rex Sebastian, Errol Anthony, Lionel Dabare, Arasaratnam, Rozen Rodrigo, Sunil Seneviratne, Arambawela, Tissa Kodituwakku and Melvin Dabare to mention a few.

Brain Assey produced wizards with the curved wand in their hands in hockey. The Fernando brothers, Stanley, Homer and Subash were world class, so were Francis Assissi, Batcho Selvaraj, Anthony McIntyre, Joseph Charles, Bana Rajaratnam and Jhonny Martyn that come to mind.

During this period when cricket, hockey and soccer were dominating on the field, one also cannot forget the yeoman service rendered by the best cager coach that the college had in Ram Suntheralingam who produced champion teams with monotonous regularity.

Cager greats that come to mind are Cosmas and Malsiri Perera, Percy Perera who had the honour of being chosen the Best Shooter in Asia which has no parallel so far, Vijaya Silva, and Gamini Silva, Milroy de Silva, Reinzie de Silva, Winston Wijenaike and Edward Sumanasekera.

For nearly two decades the sportsmen were deprived of showing their prowess owing to the ground getting water-logged whenever it rains, making the playing of games impossible.

At times after the rains, the ground looked a miniature lake. The 'Daily News' has carried pictures of the ground resembling a lake.

It finally dawned on the Bens that the ground had to be re-developed if sport in the school had to make progress. Led by former Ben, Bro. Granville Perera who is now the Director, a set of loyal and dedicated Bens teamed together to set in motion the project that was costing well over Rs. 30 million and after many months Bens will finally have a ground of international standard.

The Project team is worth mentioning. They were led by Bro. Granville and the rest who made up the team were - senior Architect Dudley Waas, Anura Vithanage, D.A.J. Ranwala, Felix Dias, Ravi Irugalbandara, Lasantha Rodrigo, Kumar Sabaratnam and Srilal de Silva.