'Human Catapult' passes away

Tita Nathanielsz played cricket for Wesley, Colts and the Country in a spacious era when gentlemen wore flannels.

He would open bowling with a two step walk at the crease and hurl his awesome thunderbolts to be the precursor of Lasith Malinga of the sling shot. Collette depicted him in a cartoon as the Human Catapult.

Tita played for Ceylon in the 50s against a visiting MCC team and against the Commonwealth Xl and his formidable team-mates were those to the manor born - Bertie Wijesinha, the Primus Interpares, Lucien de Zoysa, F.C. de Saram, Sargo Jayawickrema, Channa Gunasekera, C.I.Gunasekera, Sathi Coomaraswamy, Earnie Kelaart, Mahadevan Sathasivam, Bobby Schoorman, Bob Bartells, Lala Wadsworth, Brian Claessen, Fairlie Dalpathado, Ben Navaratne and Dr. H.I.K.Fernando - a veritable galaxy of which the Milky Way would have been envious. When he crossed the boundary as a player, he remained loyal to Colts, his first and only Cricket Club which he captained and was the Patron at the time of his death. After a sustained bond of seventy years the Club honoured him by dedicating a special lounge, naming it THE TITA NATHANIELSZ LOUNGE.

Always suave like Eddie Grey and others of the Upper Crust, Tita was a Founder Member of the Ceylon Amateur Dancing Association. Then he took to the leisured stroll on the golf links wherein the unforgettable revelry is in the 19th hole. He was elevated to the Presidency of the Royal Colombo Golf Club and continued to keep us in touch with literary emblemished writings on the game.

Tita Nathanielsz travelled the High Road with much aplomb and had as his wife Jeanne of the delightful face and frame who would have launched a thousand sighs.

- Sharm de Alwis