Playing cricket with Jaffna schools
Nimal Lewke
By Hafiz Marikar
Nimal Lewke, Snr DIG – now in charge of the Northern Division, who is an old boy of St. Sylvester’s College, Kandy, has done his best to revive the inter school cricket matches against the Jaffna schools. Some of the leading Jaffna schools played annual cricket matches against St. Sylvester’s till the troubles started in the mid 1970’s. If I am correct the other two schools that played against Jaffna schools were Royal College, Colombo and Maliyadeva College, Kurunegala.
According to Nimal Lewke, he has spoken to the principals of Jaffna schools. The first fixture will be against Jaffna Central College on March 10 which is going to be a limited over game, and this game will be played for the Lewke/Ganeshkumar trophy.
Nimal Lewke was a top class spinner and in his last game against Jaffna Central, playing for St. Sylvester’s College took 7 for 28 and was second in the Sri Lanka Schools bowling line up. D. Ganeshkumar was a top class all-rounder. In 1966 while playing for his school Jaffna Central College, he scored the entire St. Sylvester’s College first innings total of 178 runs — Ganeshkumar’s personal score of 178 at the Police Grounds matting wicket. He represented the Northern Schools team in the Inter Provincial Schools tournament and the National School Team.
Both Lewke and Ganeshkumar joined the Police; D. Ganeshkumar died while he was a Sub-Inspector. The second match will be against Hartley College, on March 13th and 14th. Other games too will follow says DIG Lewke. In the good old days St. Sylvester’s played against Jaffna Central College, Jaffna College, Hartley College, and St. Patrick’s College.
St. Sylvester’s thus becomes the first school to renew cricket ties with Jaffna schools.
Hi Nimal,
I can remember you when you played against St Johns Jaffnaduring my brothers time ( Bala Rajadurai) .Then in the 1970&71 I played against St Sylvesters at the police grounds and I think the captain was one David. Great to know cricket against Colmbo Schools is being revived and my prayers for a hppy and united Sri Lanka. Good one Mate and I now live in Australia
Hi Preman
Good to hear from you after nearly 45 years. I was at Thompson Hostel when you, A E Manoharan & others were in the senior hostel. Do you remember when Royal College played St. Johns Jaffna ? Royal was captained by Thalayasingham and St. Johns was captained by Theivendra ?
Sri Skandarajah
UK
I remeber in 1960s St Sylvesters playing against Hartley and other Jaffana schools and the Jaffana schools reciprocating the visit.
I am glad to hear that this fixture is ow resurrected.Hope this will open the gates for a Jaffana cricketer to represent Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka should follow South Africa in developing black cricketers and do the same for NE where cricket was once a thriving game.
There are thousands who really appreciate your efforts ,Thanks Nimal, I was much junior to you at St Sylvester’s, I knew your name during the school days through college magazine etc.
I humbly request you help the college to regain its boxing glory, which was one area where Sylvestrians were simply unbeatable.
And you were one of the excellent boxers during the golden era of St Sylvester’s.
Thanks for good work.
Chula Seneviratne
Abu Dhabi
UAE.
Sports, music and language bring people together. I remember the days when schools from Kandy and Colombo visited Jaffna. I was at St.John’s College Jaffna
when St.Sylvesters college Kandy, Maliyadeva college Kurunegala and Royal college Colombo played us and also played other schools in the north. Baila music was played all round the ground and boys were dancing ( sometimes due to too much toddy ! )
Because of the short-sighted and psychotic policies of earlier governments in the country, Sri Lanka has lost its economic progress, it’s academics, and suffered years of civil war. Thankfully justice seems to be returning so is peace.