Lionel kodagoda:

Great batsman

Having left Sri Lanka many decades ago, Lionel Kodagoda continued to live on through his Sri Lankan identity. He was extremely proud of his alma mater, Nalanda College, Colombo and could hardly get through a conversation without at least once referring back to his school days that he would recall with fond memories.

My very first meeting with him involved a detailed recollection of some of the past cricketing greats from my own alma mater, St. Joseph’s College, Colombo that to my shame half of whom I could hardly recognise.

Every occasion that I’ve had the honour of meeting him, has brought with it a wealth of knowledge and history about the sport in Sri Lnaka and great respect for the man. It was difficult to resist the temptation to get dragged into an exciting and animated discussion of the sport when you’re in the presence of someone as passionate as him.

Koda came from a time when cricket in Sri Lanka had yet to penetrate the country like it has today. A time when there were no lavish international grade stadiums, or high profile sponsorships for local cricketers. It was Koda’s generation that helped nurture the sport from school grounds, to cricket clubs and finally to a national and international stage.

The phenomenal success of cricket today in the country is in no small part a contribution of this generation and they celebrated every little victory. Koda for his part was extraordinarily, when it came to his passion for the sport.

Lionel Kodagoda unfortunately is no more among us. His passing just a few short months ago was received with great sadness throughout the Sri Lankan community in Perth, Australia.

Having the privilege of being with his family and friends at that turbulent time, allowed me to understand the character and life of an extraordinary man.

My interaction with Lionel Kodagoda was all too brief and my point of view would be quite alien next to the many individuals who would’ve associated with him quite closely.

Everyone had wonderful memories to share about Koda and his role as an integral part of the community, behind whom everyone seemed to rally around. The more stories people recounted, the more I realised that in reality he was the captain of a large team. Finally, like all great captains he had groomed a wonderful batch of leaders in his children, along with nephews and nieces.

Like most great batsmen, Koda wasn’t caught leg before wicket, bowled, caught or run out. He played for his side, scored a century, and got them to victory. Then finally he left the field with his head held high with his bat tucked under his arm to a standing ovation, leaving behind a proud team and a stadium full of cheering fans.

Dilshan Kathriarachchi