That cricket international played in Anuradhapura a hundred years ago
On 13th October 1882 the first ever England touring team led by Hon Ivo Bligh played against a Ceylon XVIII in a two day cricket match at Galle Face thus marked the beginning of a new era in the annals of cricket in Sri Lanka.
Englishman George Vandespar and some other individuals organised more such tours against England and Australian teams between 1884 and 1908. Both Australian and English teams used to play ‘whistle-stop’ matches here when they going to play Ashes tests.
When Vandespar gave up active sponsorship the committee of Colombo clubs stepped in organised such tours. They organised the New South Wales state XI tour of Ceylon in 1914,exactly 100 years ago Led by Rev E.F. Waddy the tourists played 9 matches here including a two day unofficial Test against All Ceylon led by A.L. Gibson. and the tour lasted for three weeks.
The tourists began their tour with a two day game against Ceylonese XI at N.C.C. grounds which they won easily by 7 wickets. Then they played against Southern Province team in a one day match at Galle Face, before taking on the Ceylonese XI in another two-day-encounter at N.C.C. grounds.
E.F. Waddy’s New South Wales team 109 and 46 lost to Ceylonese XI 133 and 24 for 6 by four wickets in this match and this was Sri Lanka’s first ever victory over a recognised first class touring side in a two day match.
The winning team was led by A.C. Amath with T.B.S. Ahamath S.de Silva W. de Rozayro, A.T. Pollocks, V.S.de Kretser, V.T. Dickman, F.A. Obeysekere, A.de Alwis, C. Horan and N.M. Christoffelsz as other members of the team.
Subsequently they played matches against Up Country XI (at Bogamabara) and combined Dimbulla Dickoya team (at Radella) before they moved to Anuradhapura to be pitted against a combined Anuradhapura and Kurunegala team which was led by W.L. Kindersley. This match was played on January 19, 1914 at Anuradhapura sports club grounds. Incidentally this was the first and only international match staged at Anuradhapura for the past 100 years.
The combined Anuradhapura and Kurunegala team comprised with XVIII players namely Outschoorn, W.O. Nathanielsz A. Jayathilaka, W.L. Kindersley, Sproule, P.Daniels, Munasinghe, Navaratnaraja, E.V.M. Tennakoon, Lorage, Vince, Sargent, van Schoonbeek, Smith, Toussaint, R. Constantine, Brumwell, Misso.
SCORES
Anuradhapura and Kurunegala 90 (Outschoorn 15, W.L. Kindersley 17 H. Gregg 5 for 09 Cameran 4 for 12 Long 4 for 07) lost to E.F. Waddy’s XI 244 (W.M. Pitt 20 H.R. Gregg 52 P.S. Arnott 54, G.S. Hall 49, Rev E.F. Waddy 16 P.W. Docker 19) on first innings by 154 runs.
The Australians played two more matches against Ceylonese XI and Combined Colleges team before moving to their final game against All Ceylon at N.C.C. on 21 st January.
Ceylon gave the visitors a hard time before losing to them by 2 wickets. Ceylon (106 and 70) lost to N.S.W. (103 and 74 for 
by 2 wickets.
It was a very successful tour. This tour also led to the formation of the Ceylon Cricket Association in 1922. The memorable features of the tour were Sri Lanka’s (then Ceylon) first ever victory over an international side and Anuradhapura staged its first and only international match over the past 100 years. None of the any other Australian state side played here since 1914. Therefore this tour was a significant land mark in our cricket history.
THE TOUR PARTY
Rev E.F. Waddy (Captain), P.W. Docker, G.S. Hall, R.B. Minnett, H.R. Gregg, N.M.A. Gregg, P.S. Arnott, S. Hazlitt, N. Ebsworth, V. Cameron, C.T. Docker, E.J. Long, W.M. Pitt, S.P. Foenander (Manager)