Legendary PI walks back to the dressing room
Former S. Thomas’ College captain, Cambridge ‘Blue’ and Ceylon cricketer and the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka, P. Ian Peiris passed away yesterday bringing an end to an illustrious and legendary cricket career.
Popularly known as PI, he entertained Ceylon cricket fans in the fifties with his swashbuckling batting and top class swing bowling. Captaining S. Thomas’ College in 1953 PI led the Thomians to an innings victory over Royal College in the Battle of the Blues encounter. PI was engaged in a fifth wicket partnership of 187 runs with Geoff Wijesinghe (Former Editor of the Ceylon Daily News). PI making a fine century of 123 runs while Wijesinghe contributed 64 in a total of 290. When Royal batted PI rattled the Royal batting line up capturing 4 for 29 which brought a well deserved victory for the Thomians.
P.I. Peiris
Later whenever he turned up for the Singhalese Sports Club in the Sara Trophy tournament thousands of cricket fans flocked wherever PI played to witness his entertaining batting and bowling. PI’s allround performances helped SSC to clinch the Sara Trophy on so many occasions.
P.I. Peiris had the rare honour of representing the national team as a schoolboy when he was selected to play for All Ceylon in 1953 against the Australians led by Lindsay Hasset. PI displayed his cricketing talents not only in Sri Lanka but also won his ‘Blue’ for cricket at the Cambridge University in England.
Playing for Ceylon, PI was a member of the national team that beat Pakistan in 1964 though he had a little share in the victory. The most memorable innings that was played by PI was against the mighty West Indies in 1967 associating in a 110-run partnership for the 10th wicket with another late cricketer Neil Chanmugam. This still stands as a record. Chanmugam went on to score a lusty 97 clobbering the West Indies bowlers for one six, one five and nine fours whilst PI remained unbeaten on 46 with one six and seven fours.
P.I. Peiris served as the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka and was an official of the Mercantile Cricket Association. Former Sri Lanka captain and a team mate of the late Peiris, Anura Tennakoon commenting said: “I had the fortune of playing under PI for SSC for five or six seasons. He was a good captain, capable of getting the best out of every player. He was also a fine right arm swing bowler who moved the ball both ways at will and I am sure even today cricketers will find him a handful because of his ability to swing the ball both ways. He was also a fine lower order batsman always contributed to the side whenever a score was needed from him. All in all he was a great cricketer and a gentleman. My deepest sympathies go to his family’ Tennakoon concluded.