When Bradman struggled for 20 runs here

Richard DWIGHT

In the very early colonial era, when Ceylon as the country was then known, a drop in the Indian ocean, with a manageable population.

This being so, the European planters however strove against many a natural hazard, as pioneers to be pathfinders to be successful in growing high class good tea.

Needless to say, it was the upward trend with the countries buying Ceylon tea on the increase. The planters did not stop there, for they along with the European missionary principals of schools, introduced the game of cricket to ceylon.

It did not take long for the ceylonese to take to cricket, they displayed a fondness for it and rapidly made progress. Our cricket in those far off original days, was confined to the domestic level.

The inter-school matches were well organized and administered and, talented youngsters with much promise emerged.

These youngsters in order to make further progress played for different clubs, with the hope of representing the national side. We were a long way off from obtaining test status and thereby starved of playing with other test teams on a reciprocal basis.

The only consolation we had, was to witness an English or Australian team being involved in one, two or three day game against us, with the steamer docked at the Colombo harbour.

There were quite a number of matches played against Ceylon since 1884, with the sole purpose of strengthening relationship.

But the match that stands vividly in the memory is the visit of the all conquering Australian side in 1948.

It assumed even more importance that Bradman was leading the team with much publicity given by the media saying ‘all roads lead to the oval’ enthusiasm and excitement knew no bounds.

Teams: Australia - S.G. Barnes, W.A. Brown, D.G. Bradman, K.R. Miller, N. Harvey, R. Hammence, S. Loxton, R. Saggers, I. Johnson, D. Ring and E.R. Toshack (Haseti, Lindwalla and Tallon) did not play.

Ceylon - M. Rodrigo, S. Nagendra, F.C. de Saram, M. Sathasivam, S.S. Jayawickrema, B.R. Heyn C.I. Gunesekera, S. Coomaraswamy, C. Allen R.L. de Kretser and B. Navaratne. Reserves H.S. Orloff 12th man H. Perera.

There were in those days neither the elaborate, nor the sophisticated arrangements that one sees today. There was no special booths for food and drink - a caterer sold short eats in brown paper bags. The buying of tickets in advance was not the order of things, so much so that there were many standing in queus awaiting entrance long after play had commenced.

People from all parts of the island had converged on the Oval in order to see Bradman’s men and, Bradman in particular, which was a household name in the country.

Ceylon led by Sathasivam did well to restrict Australia to 184 runs for 8 wickets. The ever popular Keith miller scored a quick 46 runs, the lusty hitter Loxton made 34 runs, Barnes through sheer exhaustion and the noon day heat retired after making 49 runs.

Bradman received a rousing cheer as he walked upto the wicket. He was not able to force the pace, he was stuck to the crease, not being able to adjust to a shortened wicket and made a laboured 20 runs and was out trying to drive a ball from Russel Heyn only to be caught at cover by de Kretser. Bradman was to later say, that he never knew that Ceylon played their cricket on a 20 yard wicket. He was proved right and the pitch duly remedied. Sathi Coomaraswamy bowling well for Ceylon captured 4 wickets. Ceylon in reply to Australia’s 184 for 8 scored 46 for 2, Mahes Rodrigo impressed with 26. The Ceylon fielding in this match was remarkable and rose to great heights.

The keeping of Ben Navaratne was extraordinary, while Heyn excelled in the covers. Sargo Jayawickrema brought off a splendid one handed catch to dismiss Harvey and Rodrigo a few feet from the commentators box, took a well judged catch to account for Loxton. But the catch that lingers in the mind is the one that C.I. Gunesekera held at the boundary line to dismiss Miller.

Miller thumped the ball viciously into the air and the ball soared higher and higher and C.I. Gunasekera keeping his eyes fixed on the ball steadied himself, mindful of the little boys squatting around his feet, he gently raised one leg and took a brilliant catch virtually standing on one leg.

Bradman was highly taken up with our fielding, especially Heyn’s at cover and the brilliant keeping of Ben Navaratne.

All these light hearted matches are long past over and are now into serious competitive test cricket since 1981.