Sportsman Gallaher ill

Richard DWIGHT

The former colourful cricketer, Neil Gallaher, of Wesley, HSBC and Colts, was an elegantly stylish right handed batsman, who through his attractive batting was the cynosure of all three institutions.

Being endowed with a fine physique and a fair complexion, he had to make do with the meagre resources that came his way and, so lived in the Wesley College hostel from 1947-1954.

He came under the principalship of the Rev James Cartman and Cedric Orloff - with cricket being his forte, he played under Radley Claessen, Bryan Claessen and Ansar Fuard.

There was a time when the Wesley College cricket team had quite a number of fair complexioned cricketers which made the team comparable to a young Australian side.

Neil through his cricket was popular to be sociable in his ways, with honesty and integrity as his watchwords. He was modest enough to say that he never got a century, but a good many fifties for Wesley. With two more years to play for Wesley, he through dire necessity stopped playing for Wesley to accept an offer of a job at the age of 18 by the HSBC.

He whilst playing for the HSBC also represented Colts under Tita Nathanielsz. Neil distinguished himself in both places as a prolific scorer and fine fielder. He made rapid progress at the HSBC to hold positions of responsibility and, did as well as cricket captain, to win for the HSBC the Mercantile 'A' division cricket trophy in 1958. On retirement from the HSBC in 1991, he took to playing tennis at the Otters and Cathedral Courts.

Partnering the former President of the SLTA D L Seneviratne, in the National over 65 years doubles event, they both won the titles for three years.

It was whilst playing tennis at 75 years, Neil developed a pain in the knee, which turned to be far more serious than what he thought and was subsequently treated. In the process of which he suffered a heart attack and a stroke, that resulted in his right side being paralyzed.

Neil Gallaher, who leads a sequestered life is confined to his home at 28/A Rodney Street, Borella and would be pleased to see his colleagues and friends calling on him at his home.