Bloomfield set to rise and recapture its past glory
Old Pavilion which was on wheels
Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club with a proud history of over a century, started in a racquet court in Pettah and later, in a clubhouse on wheels at Campbell Park, till it found a permanent home at Reid Avenue, in the late 1960s.
Bloomfield dominated local Cricket till recently, having produced the highest number of National and Test Cricketers (47), before and after gaining Test status, who did yeoman service to the game. Bloomfield was at the helm of local Cricketfrom the early ’70s to the early ’80s.
Adding to the proud history of the Club, five Bloomfielders have led the country, namely Dhanasiri Weerasinghe, Bandula Warnapura, D.S. de Silva, Roshan Mahanama, Sanath Jayasuriya and T.M. Dilshan.
Bloomfield Cricket took a back seat for a while, after it lost its cream of cricketers, following a rebel tour to South Africa. That void was felt for a short time, till most of the outstanding cricketers joined the Club to lift its standard to where it was.
A refurbished portion of the Pavilion was declared open
While the cricketers did their part, the Club officials were faced with an unexpected situation, as the land on which the grounds and the pavilion were located, was to be taken over for a city development project. During the tenure of the late Shelley Wickremasinghe as President, the live wire of the Club, he managed to get the land in Colombo 7 on a 99-year lease, with the kind courtesy of former Minister of Sports, the late K.B. Ratnayake. However, later, it was found that the lease was not for 99 years but, for only 35 years.
The energetic office-bearers of the Club headed by present President Jayantha Seneviratne, quickly went into action and regained the ground on a longer lease. Seneviratne, during his days as a Cricket-playing member of the Club, with his power-hitting and acrobatic fielding displays entertained thousands of fans who gathered to see Bloomfield cricketers in action, later won the National cap and started his second inning at the Club, by getting confirmation from the authorities to stay longer at the present location.
This Reid Avenue Club can boast of producing cricketers such as Dhanasiri Weerasinghe, Norton Frederick and a host of cricketers who kept the Club flag flying high before gaining Test status, as National players, while latter cricketers in the calibre of Bandula Warnapura, Anura Ranasinghe, Lalith Kaluperuma, Ajith de Silva, D.S. de Silva, D.L.S. De Silva, Sunil Jayasinghe to name a few, contributed much to the country in its quest to gain Test status. Warnapura was the first Test captain of the country, and the maiden Test team included Lalith Kaluperuma, Anura Ranasinghe, Ajith de Silva and D.S. de Silva.
New Pavilion
After solving the ground problem to a certain extent, Bloomfield Cricket suffered a setback, when most of the leading cricketers left the Club, fearing they will not be able play for the country as Bloomfielders this season. However, a set of loyal cricketers, who put Club before self, are showing vast improvement, and are certain to restore the Club’s lost prestige.
While the present cricketers are doing a fine job to haul the Club back to the revered position it previously held, the administration is intends to give a facelift to the Club pavilion. Stage I of this facelift was inaugurated recently, when an air-conditioned bar was opened in the presence of a large gathering of members and distinguished well-wishers. A clubhouse with all the facilities will come up in due course.
It is certain that, with a set of loyal cricketers and an energetic team of administrators, Bloomfield will Blossom in any Field, in which all past and present members will be proud to be associated with. .