.

Mustangs Trophy limited over encounter
Royalists in pulsating victory

By Victor Atapattu
Royal College pulled off a thrilling win over S. Thomas’ in their limited over encounter for the Mustangs Trophy played at the SSC grounds yesterday. With this win Royal lead the Thomains 14 to 11 in the one day series.

The architects of this spectacular victory were J. Mubarak who scored 61 and captured three Thomian wickets and A. Perera who stroked a stylish 69 not out.

Earlier, the Thomians set their opponents a target of 247 runs out of which Aruna Bandaranayke hit a hard hit 49 ably assisted by Jeewaka Mendis who contributed a painstaking 59. Aruna Bandaranayake was also the only Thomian to capture three Royal wickets.

SCOREBOARD

Royal College

K. Edirisuriya ct L. A. R. Perera b Bandaranayake            31
D. Perera ct. Z. Kanaka b Bandaranayake                          22
M. Thotuwilage ct. D. Gunawardana b Bandaranayake  18
J. Mubarak run out                                                                61
A. Perera n.o.                                                                          69
R. Jayasuriya n.o.                                                                  10
Extras                                                                                       37
Total (for 4 wkts, 46.1 overs)                                             248

FoW 68, 94, 111, 221

Bowling: L. Fernando 10-0-49-0, P. Peiris 3-0-22-0, A. Bandaranayake 9-1-54-3, D. Gunawardena 7-0-43-0, L. Wickremasinghe 10-0-45-0, J. Mendis 2-0-12-0, L. A. R. Perera 4.1-10-3-0, G. Fernando 1-0-5-0.

S. Thomas’ College

Praveen Peiris lbw A. Kariyawasam                                     05
Gihan Fernando b M. Thotuwilage                                      00
Zakeer Kanaka ct D. Perera b J. Mubarak                           32
Aruna Bandaranayake b H. Rajakaruna                              49
J. Mendis ct. S. Saldin b G. Rathnayake                              59
Meshad Peiris ct A. Perera b R. Jayasuriya                       22
Lakmal Fernando n.o.                                                            44
Chevinda de Mel run out                                                      08
Dilshan Gunawardana b J. Mubarak                                   01
L. H. Wickremasinghe c and b J. Mubarak                        02
Extras                                                                                      25
Total for 9 wkts, 50 overs                                                  247

FoW 01, 25, 60, 125, 170, 216, 228, 247, 247.

Bowling: S. Edirimuni 6-0-29-0, M. Thotuwilage 3-0-6-1, A. Kariyakarawana 3-0-18-01, R. Jayasuriya 9-0-52-1, J. Mubarak 10-1-44-03, G. Rathnayake 10-01-39-01, H. Rajakaruna 9-0-49-01.

95th Battle of the Lovers
A drab draw

Dhammika Ratnaweera reporting from Galle
The 95th Battle of the Lovers between Richmond College and Mahinda College Galle ended in a drab draw. Previous day’s rain delayed the start of the second day’s play. The umpires decided to start the game at 2.30 p.m. and to bowl 47 overs. But the Richmondites managed to bowl 53 overs during the period of play.

Mahindians who were 16 for no loss in reply to Richmond’s score went on to make 99 for six when stumps were drawn after 53 overs. Only 195 minutes of play was possible yesterday.

Richmond openers Chatura Aravinda and Dilan Bahar put on a 21 run stand. Skipper Oshad Sumathipala (20) and Mohamed Faizer (13 n.o.) made useful contributions. B. K. Suneth bowling a 20 over spell captured 2 wickets giving away 28 runs.

Richmond’s Chathura Aravind who took 3/21 was adjudged as the best bowler while his team mate wicket keeper Eranga Ratnaweera who held three catches was given the best fielder’s award.

Sidath Indunil, Mahinda College opener who was the top scorer in the match with 35 carried away the man of the match and the best batsman’s awards.

Former Richmondite cricketer Col. Susil Udumalagala was the chief guest and gave away the awards.

The limited over fixture between these two schools is scheduled to be played at the same venue on March 25.

26th Limited Over encounter
Petes outclass Joes to retain. Rev Fr. Peter Pillai Trophy

By Bernard Perera
St. Peter’s College regained the Rev. Fr. Peter Pillai Trophy beating St. Joseph’s College by 65 runs in their 26th limited over encounter at Sara Stadium yesterday. Petes skipper C. Pieris who won the toss elected to bat, lost their first wicket at 15 and three more wickets for the addition of only 50 runs. Malin Silva and Shenal Fernando held the innings together for Petes putting on a 54 run partnership for the fifth wicket which also was the biggest alliance of the match.

Malin Silva’s contribution was 34, while his partner made 27. This alliance got the Petes to 119 before Malin was run out. The sixth wicket pair of Shenal and Ruchira Fernando too added another 33 useful runs. Departure of these two batsmen saw two more quick wickets fall when the score reached 171/9.

At this stage Petes were not sure of getting past the 200 run mark. But the arrival of skipper Chrishan Pieris made things easy for them when he made a quick fire 33. He was well supported by Ishan Ratnayake. Both were unbeaten on 33 and 07 respectively. Paceman Sanka Rupasinghe and Dilshan Perumal were the wicket takers for Josephians while there were two run outs.

Joes going into bat were in real disaster when their skipper Ian Daniel failed to read the bowling of Malin Silva and was bowled for four runs when scoreboard read 8. Joes were heavily banking on Daniel to come out with a big score. His departure brought in the trouble for Josephian batsmen.

Petes tightened their grip from this point onwards. Their bowlers and fielders were no tight on target. Wickets tumbled at regular intervals and at one stage 71 for six.

Gavin Vansanden(30) and Sanka Rupasinghe (17) halted the collapse at this stage putting on a 46 association. Vansanden’s 30 contained 4 boundaries and one six over mid wicket. Kaushal Lokuarachchi took bowling honours with three wickets while C. Pieris and Malin Silva had two wickets each.

Peterite skipper Chrishan Pieris was adjuged the Man of the Match for his quickfire 33 and two wicket haul. He was also selected as the Best Bowler. Jehan Jayasuriya who who made the top score of the match went away with the Best Batsman’s award while I. Daniel carried away the award for Best Fielder.

Chandana de Silva, Country Manager, SriLankan Airlines was the chief guest and gave away the main award.

Sri Lanka cricket
Time for taking stock

With March 31 approaching fast, business houses will be getting ready for the annual stock- taking. Sri Lanka cricket too can do the same. With the loss at Karachi, the bottom did not fall from our cricket, but gives the opportunity to look inwards. Although, during the post 1999 World Cup period, the new-look Sri Lanka team should have experienced a learning curve with more losses than wins, she won everything and therein may have, on occasion, not seen the wood from the trees.

SOBERS AND STOLLMEYER ON PAKISTAN UMPIRES

Sri Lanka spoilt her immaculate copy-book by losing the Third Test at Karachi, after all the winning enjoyed in the past few months. Fell with a thud too, losing by the massive margin of 222 runs. That is cricket. As in life, this game never lets you have a big head for too long! When one remembers that Pakistan, with her cricket administration in absolute turmoil, and with injuries to Wasim Akram, Saeed Anwar, Saqlain Musthaq and Azhar Mahmood, still won the Third Test handsomely, makes the situation seem so very black. However, as one wag said, Pakistan had umpire Riazudin, who filled this huge vacuum created by the absence of the ‘stars’ and safe-guarded their country’s unbeaten Test record - 17 wins from 34 games, and without a single loss - at the National Stadium in Karachi ! Flippancy apart, Pakistani umpire Riazudin did bring back memories of a few decades back when the white coated gentry of Pakistan could not have been accused of a lack of patriotism. Can one ever forget, for instance, the ordeal Gary Sobers went through in 1958-59 in Pakistan? Given out Ibw (all off Fazal Mahmood) in his first three Test innings, Sobers, in fact, threatened to pull out of the tour. What Sobers had to say, was, maybe coloured in more ways than one. But, as the more sober Jeff Stollmeyer, a former West Indian skipper and opening batsman, mentions in his delightful autobiography ‘Every thing under the Sun’:

"....the West Indies proceeded to Pakistan where the series was lost by 2-1, although reports of bad umpiring were too numerous not to have some basis in fact." One need not have to go that far, if you listen to the experiences of what our own players, in the pre-Test era, went through in Pakistan. Unlike some members of the M.C.C. who had a similar experience during a Pakistan tour and ‘bucketed’ the umpire, in the hotel, the boys from Ceylon bore it all and lost the three unofficial ‘Test’ matches resoundingly.

KALUWITHARANA - A MAN IN A HURRY

This is in sharp contrast, to the performance of umpire Athar Zaidi who stood in the First Test at Rawalpindi. Yes, Zaidi’s performance, along with that of his colleague Dave Orchard was simply superlative. However, one cannot trot out poor umpiring as the sole cause for a weak-kneed performance by the Sri Lankans at Karachi. When you get the opponents out — after having put them in — for a total of around 250 in a Test match, there is very little point in being dismissed yourself for anything less than, at least, 350. The sadness of it all was, not that Sri Lanka was dismissed for 227, but it was the manner in which some of our top-order batsmen perished. Most of them batted as if they had a packet of runs to their credit and were now swishing their bats with gay abandon. In the first innings, Kaluwitharana batted in a great hurry (42 in 29 balls with 9 fours, and this in a Test match in reply to a total of 256 when his side had not even topped the 200-mark at that time) and, not satisfied with the boundaries that were flashing from his bat, ran himself out in going for a second run! In the second innings, he was determined to give his wicket to Akhtar and with great dedication, eventually succeeded in doing so. Even the usually reliable Arnold had a swing, minutes before lunch, and paid the price. Jayasuriya, Mahela, Marvan, the lot, they will all prefer to forget this game. Only, I hope they will all now sit together and ask themselves why they batted in this manner. Was it complacency? After all, they had won everything previously. Or, was it the inability to cope with the pace and wiles of Akhtar and Younis? Akhtar may have had poor figures of 1/64 to show for his efforts, but, he it was who softened the batsmen. Afridi (3/50) merely cleaned it up.

PUNDITS, ARM-CHAIR CRITICS AND SHAKESPEARE

Perhaps, all the so-called pundits and armchair critics are entitled to their own opinions. However, it is the men in the front, those who faced the flak, they are the best judges of what happened to them. It is not easy, I dare say, to stand up to the bowlers who can fling them down at blinding speed and when the ball starts singing around your ears. You have to experience it to know what it is all about. Nor is it easy to field for long hours with an umpire who needs a lot of convincing — ask Vaas. However, the Sri Lankans cannot get behind the fact that there was more than an element of irresponsibility displayed by the senior batsmen.

As the Bard wrote: "Sweet are the uses of adversity, Like the toad, though ugly and venomous, still wears a jewel in its head." So, the Lankans must learn from this reversal. At most times, the success of a couple of individuals can camouflage the deficiencies in the side. Of late, we have had more than our fair share of success. Muralitharan for one, has unwittingly, of course, obscured the deficiencies of the bowling department. Now the opportunity has crystallised to rectify the shortcomings that are clearly visible.

BRIILIANT FIELDING — THE CORNERSTONE OF SUCCESS

All the Sri Lankans can learn from the manner in which Pakistani nightwatchman Shoaib Akhtar batted at Karachi. He defended for dear life for something like 42 balls without scoring a run, Aravinda and/or Arjuna may have added the much-needed experience and muscle to the batting. But, as the injury to Arjuna revealed, it may not have been that easy. Also, neither would have displayed the athleticism on the field, and which has been a material factor for our recent successes. Brilliant fielding has heen the cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s current purple patch. And the experience gained by the youngsters in this baptism of fire would certainly stand in good stead if they are prepared to assimilate the lessons learnt from this salutary experience. I am sure Whatmore will capitalise on the situation.

SOME OF THE MANY PROBLEMS FACING SL CRICKET

As I mentioned last week too, there are quite a few problems facing our cricket. For instance, we need spinners — Murali cannot go on forever — both off-spinners and legspinners. A support paceman for Vaas is another priority. Pushpakumara claimed four wickets and top-scored at Karachi but seems temperamental. Nuwan Zoysa is capable of dismissing the best but keeps breaking down. Wickremasinghe is currently bowling with more purpose and has acquired better control, and is turning out to be an excellent fielder too, but he too is not getting any younger. Sadly his batting has taken a nose-dive, perhaps, the batting of Shoaib Akhtar at Karachi may inspire him! Sri Lanka requires another wicketkeeper to constantly understudy Kaluwitharana. The senior batsmen must learn to knuckle down and learn to bat for long periods. For instance, Sri Lanka when chasing 451 runs, were dismissed for 228 runs in 46 overs which means a run-rate of almost 5 runs per over! Of course, an attacking field certainly helped the runs to come fast but I cannot remember seeing any of the specialist batsmen making a concerted effort to grind it out. Or was it that the pace of Waqar and Akhtar too much?

EVEN THE KITCHEN SINK MAY NOT HAVE SUFFICED

Another important point to remember is that our boys lost only the Third Test. Remember, they won 5 out of the 6 confrontations in Pakistan. Three One-days and two Tests, and before that the boys beat Zimbabwe and Australia. In fact, we have never had it better. Still there are a few bridges to cross. Jayasuriya, and not forgetting his deputy Mahela, have a lot of homework to do. Vaas must curb his depressing propensity to bowl no-balls — a poor reflection for a professional. Yet this outfit, under Jayasuriya, has blended exceedingly well and if handled right, promises a bright future. So don’t throw brickbats at them when the first slip-up happens. Maybe, the high expectation of not losing and the consequent tension has taken its toll on the team. In fact, it was sad to observe words being exchanged — sledging they call it — between the sides which had enjoyed such a good relationship, a situation which the previous Manager worked hard at eradicating.

So, if you feel like throwing brickbats at these boys, even the kitchen sink would not have sufficed when one goes a little further back in time.

St. Sylvester’s vs Vidyartha
12th One Day encounter

by Hafiz Marikar
Cricket of a high order could be witnessed at Asgiriya Stadium when St. Sylvester’s College and Vidyartha College clash in their 12th one-day encounter which is sure to produce some good cricket. Both teams have had a mixed bag of success this season, although St. Sylvester’s have a win under their belt this season.

Out of the 11 games played, Sylvestrians have won seven games to Vidyartha’s one and the rest of the game have ended in no-decisions due to bad weather. In last year’s encounter Sylvestrians pocketed the game by two wickets and 45 runs.

The winners of this game will be presented with the Mediwake Trophy.

St. Sylvester’s College XI from — Arosha Perera (Capt.), Thilantha Liyanage (Vice Capt.), Chanaka Wijesinghe, Harsha Wijeratne, Chamila Ratnayake, Srimal Matotarachchi, Jaliya Weerasinghe, Kelum Konara, Mohamed Rifai, Ranga Lihidipita, Chaminda Ranaweera, Suresh Wettewa, Pradeep Athauda, Kenneth Udawatta, Geethika Dharmasena, Nilantha Dissanayake, Mohamed Afraaz.

Vidyartha College XI from — Dileepa Wanasinghe (Capt.), Sanjaya Nanayakkara (V. Capt.), Harsha Nanayakkara, Thamila Kumara Liyanage, Sujith Perera, Rasika Wijesinghe, Duminda Wekadapola, Chamara Ranasinghe, Kosala Kulasekara, M. M. A. Nilam, B. U. K. Chandrasiri, Sajith Perera, Kanishka Dunasinghe, Prasanna Indrajith, Sanjaya de Silva, Suresh Dedigama, Sumdha Jayakody.

s1
Better to have loved and lost than never......

So, the 121st Royal-Thomian annual encounter-ended in a draw. Knowing that of the 30 matches played by both schools - 16 by Royal and 14 by S. Thomas’ - only 3 have yielded results, hence the final outcome being a draw cannot be a matter for surprise, though the match was played over 3 days. True, the pitch was placid and the bowling, in general, even more so. Yet, when the attitude of not-wanting-to-lose pervades the entire tenor of both sides, a draw is the likely result and so it proved. If a team tries to force a possible win and fails, that side will learn from that effort. Something coaches must impart to their charges. Coaches must not think that their success can be measured or quantified by the number of matches not lost. More of it later.

Firstly, let me pay a tribute to the excellent arrangements made by the Joint Organising Committee. It was simply excellent. Also, a bouquet to Ranil Abeynaike and his ground staff for preparing a playing area with almost flawless conditions.

Just one incident marred the entire event when, possibly, an inebriated flag-waving old boy followed by an ‘escort’ dared to invade the field and thus became the only fly in the ointment. That one ill-considered act spoilt the copybook of the hard-work and the meticulous planning done by the Committee for the past few months. Due to personal requests being made not to mention names of those who were the moving figures behind the tremendous efforts at organising the match or bore the brunt of the work, I shall desist from doing so. How refreshingly different from people who crave for the limelight!

Now to the game itself. The SSC ground was a picture with a well-manicured outfield and a pitch that played true. Royal batting first, dillied and dallied to post a score of 282/9 declared, towards which wicket-keeper Andrew Perera (64) batted best. Skipper Ruchira Jayasuriya also contributed a well-struck 45. Anura Bandaranayake (no, not him!) was the chief wrecker with 3/62. The feature of the Thomian attack was that the spinners were not allowed to settle down. A case in point was off-spinner Lahiru Wickremasinghe. Here is a bowler who flights the ball and who accounted for Jehan Mubarak, Royal’s most dangerous batsman, before the left-hander got down to business. Yet, at one stage, Wickremasinghe had bowled 5 overs in three spells! Also, the Thomian bowling rate of around 11-12 overs/hour and which the Royalists did not improve on, could not help fast scoring. Nor did the fact that when a batsman is dismissed the incoming batsman did not cross each other on the field of play.

The Thomians had a poor start being 81/6 at one stage, but poor fielding and unimaginative bowling changes coupled with enterprising batting especially by Dilshan Gunawardena (73*) and Jeevan Mendis (67) pulled the lads from Mount Lavinia out of the hole. The Thomian declaration at 256/8 meant a slender lead of 26 runs for Royal.

Then came probably the best batting of the match. Royal openers, Dhanuska Perera ( 116) and Kanishka Edirisuriya (59), went out and gave an exhibition of batting that did themselves and the school proud. Their partnership of 1.64 runs became the series record for the first wicket breaking a 64-year old mark held by the Thomian pair of Jayatilleke and Scheffer. Dhanushka became the l7th Royalist to score a century in the ‘Big-Match’. Record apart, the two Royalists batted with purpose and skill. Their shot selection, placement, and running between the wickets could hardly be faulted. Whereas in the first innings the Royalists seemingly were not making much of an effort to score runs - not LOOKING for the singles, for instance - but, here was the same pair doing just the opposite of what they did in the first innings. Most of us in the commentary box were left wondering how come they could not bat in this manner in the first innings. It was champagne after a dose of cod liver oil.

However, the Royalists could not capitalise on this batting because of a late declaration - at 242/4 in 50.1 overs - which defied all logical thinking. This gave the Thomians a target of 269 runs in the remaining 46 overs which is an asking rate of 5.8 runs/over! - with the possibility of light fading in the evening. Now, if the Royal think-tank had any enterprise - something that they were not guilty of having achieved during the season for a record of one decision in 16 games - they should have planned the declaration. The last four overs before tea realised something in the region of 10 -12 runs. With 7 wickets in hand, on a pitch that could be described as friendly and on a fast outfield (nor was Muralitharan or Vaas bowling!), surely a more positive approach, to put it mildly, should have been the order of the day. And, what took the breath away was the fact that the Royalists decided to bat AFTER tea as well. The declaration was made only after skipper Jayasuriya was dismissed in the second over. With that delay, Royal blew away their chances of forcing a win. On the other hand, if the Royalists planned the declaration in such a manner that they gave the Thomians a target of somewhere in the region of 250 runs to be made in around 48- 50 overs, the carrot would have looked attractive and would have tempted the opposition to go for it, thereby, giving both teams an even chance, and more importantly enough time for the Royalists to bowl the Thomians out. On the other hand, if the Thomians could have sustained the required run-rate of 5 runs/over for 50 overs, then they deserve to win. It is simple as that.

Well, to put me record straight the Thomians could not reach the target and ended at 170 runs made in 38.4 overs. Wicket-keeper Kanaka batted attractively to stroke 46 runs while Gehan Fernando (31) and last year’s hero Meshad Pieris (35) batted well.

A very ugly feature of the match was the constant stream of reserves bringing water, gloves, towels etc., etc., on to the playing area - obviously with messages from the dressing room. This procedure not only wastes valuable playing time but also prevents the captain from thinking of how to overcome problems on the field by himself. Coaches and well-meaning old boys in dressing rooms are doing the boys a great disservice by this sort of action. Coaches and dressing room advisors (if any) should be made to understand that the captain and the senior players must learn to solve on-field problems as they arise. Coaches must not play nursemaid to the captain.

However, in the final analysis, a result was not possible because the attitude - more so, that of Royal College, by delaying the declaration - was that of not-wanting-to-lose-at-all-costs. This reminds me of the old saying that it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

SLTA to conduct free tennis coaching for all

In order to attract more players to tennis, the SLTA the controlling body for tennis in Sri Lanka will hold a free tennis coaching clinic for all on Saturday 25th of March 2000 from 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m., at the SLTA premises at 45, Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha, Colombo 7. A free coaching lesson includes providing racquets, balls and also a coach free of charge. Some of the best coaches and players in the country will instruct and play with prospects.

The free lesson program is the first step in a "grow the game" effort to get prospects to try tennis and to get them to feel the satisfaction and thrill in playing tennis and thereafter, to get the prospect to want to learn tennis, said Arjan Perera, Chairman, Coaching and Promotion, SLTA.

If this programme is received enthusiastically, we will take this programme to the outstations too.

We expect a good turnout, as this program will target people who are interested in tennis, but are not aware of the modalities, said Romesh Fernando, Secretary Coaching nd Promotion.

This programme is ideally suited for persons who have never played tennis. The SLTA will promote this programme under the theme, tennis is fun, fitness and forever, he said.

AN APPRECIATION
Darrell Markus - Cricketer, Golfer, Raconteure and Jester

A ready wit and a raconteur par excellence, Darrell was, basically, a child who never grew up. In fact, that could well be his epitaph. For him, life was to be lived to the fullest. Alw-ays on the move, fun and laughter were the key ingredients of his life. His first love was cricket, though later, golf along with spirituous fulfilment, were the vehicles that enabled to express his irrepressible spirit. Darrell was always seeking rainbows, not for the pot of gold but it was the chase that excited his passions.

I met Darrell and his family over two decades ago when he joined Aitken Spence & Co. as the head of the Insurance department when he returned after a long sojourn in the U. K. after having qualified as a Chartered Insurer. I enjoyed his keen interest in cricket and ready wit, and we became friends, until our ways parted. Later, it was mainly the telephone that kept us in contact.

There was never a dull moment with Darrell around as anybody would testify. It is as if you were caught up in a laughing machine with no escape.

Yet, there was a serious aspect to his character which emerges when he attends to his professional work involving insurance. There, he would focus his mind to the fob at hand and discharge his duties to the best of his ability as most of his satisfied clients would now bear witness. I know, because I worked on a project with him at Aitken Spence which required accounting information and found him most exacting and meticulous. Only, he simply would not brook any inaccuracy or an oversight either from a subordinate. superior or even a colleague. That obviously did not help and may have cost him dear.

Though his interest in cricket never waned, it was golf that finally took first place. He would re-live the day he had a hole-in-one with a joy that knew no bounds. Not that cricket really took second place. It was simply because he could still play golf but he was now not physically fit enough - according to others that is, he would insist — to play cricket. Earlier, he would carry his cricket kit in the boot of the car "in case a team was one short" as he would say .

I remember the time he was elected to captain the ‘Daily News’ team at Bloomfield. He was over the moon with the appointment and used to be at the ‘nets’ every day. On match days, he would arrive well-clad (with the blazer of a wandering club in the UK ),well shod (new boots) and well ahead of time (play begins at 10.00 a.m., he was there by 8.00 a.m.). The party of supporters who made merry with him the night before, including ‘BJK’, Ainsley, Bonny, ‘OF’ Sam, Sam, ‘OG’, Nimal, boys from the ‘pola’, et al, formed the cheering squad. Their proud boast was that there weren’t that many Bloomfielders to cheer the first team. He opened the bowling, he bowled first change, in fact, bowled whenever he felt. After all, as he would say: "What the hell, I am the bloody captain" - and who could argue with that? Needless to say the team was not very successful as far as winning a title but I can tell you, all of us - including the opposition, since they seem to be winning all the time’ - had a jolly good time. I too played just one match under his captaincy. During that game he chased a ball with youthful gusto to the lines, and when I warned him that he may get a heart attack by chasing the ball so hard, his reply was typical: "What better way to go than on a cricket field?" Probably, he would have later changed his exit from a golf course.

His sense of humour was indeed keen and infectious. For instance, when he had just returned to Sri Lanka. I inquired him about the West Indian fast bowler, Andy Roberts. This is how the conversation went:

MW: "Darrel, I’ve heard that Roberts is blindingly fast, have you seen him bowl?"

DM: "Yes, I’ve seen him. He is fast but if you can survive the first two balls, you’re OK".

MW: "What do you mean by: surviving the first two balls?"

DM: "Because, he is so bloody fast that by the time you bring the bat down, two balls have already gone."

That was Darrell all over, impromptu, quick as a flash and without a hint of malice.

Even when the tenninal illness hospitalised him, that bubbling humour did not leave him, at the beginning. He was joking even at death’s door just as Shakespeare describing the seven ages of man said of the soldier: ‘seeking the bubble reputation e’en in the cannon’s mouth’. It was during his illness that Darrell found who his real friends were. There were quite a few, mainly members of the RCGC and the Capri.

If however, there were two individuals, who with all their business and personal commitments and still had time to assist Darrell, and Sabrina his wife, in so many ways, they were Malik Samarawickrema and G.C. Wickremasinghe. A member of the Board at Aitken Spence when Darrell was employed and later at Union Assurance ‘GC’ had been a great source of strength to the Markus couple. Malik’s boundless compassion and his ready assistance in times of distress was greatly appreciated. But, the one who really carried the can and tended with loving care suffered all the multifarious problems not only during sickness but in health, was Sabrina. To her goes the greatest share of praise.

The illness was debilitating and was taking its inexorable toll as the days passed. One day, when Sabrina rang and told me that Darrell had gone into a state of depression, it was obvious that he knew the writing was on the wall. So it proved. A man always wanderlust - roughly translated. ‘never at home’ - was now cruelly grounded, unable to walk. It was a case of ‘the wanderer home from his wanderings’, not by choice but by circumstance.

It took only a couple of days more for the end. Cricketer, golfer, raconteur and jester, Darrell aged 67, had drawn stumps, played his last hole of golf and will not make people laugh anymore.

MAHINDA WIJESINGHE

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