CMCC celebrates 60th anniversary of Padang
The ‘Padang’, home of the Colombo Malay Cricket Club (CMCC) in Colombo 2, celebrates its 60th anniversary since moving from Rifle Green.
A series of sporting and celebratory activities have been planned by the CMCC to mark the Padang’s 60th anniversary. This will be in the backdrop when the CMCC will be celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2022, according to CMCC President Rizwan Badoordeen.
The celebrations kicked-off with a Sepak Takraw match between Army SC and CMCC at the Padang on Thursday. The Army team comprising national Takraw players W.D. Zoysa, Tuan Safran and K.K.I. Srimal prevailed in a tenacious battle 3-0 (21/19 21/19 21/15) with CMCC squandering a 15-9 advantage in the second regu.
The history of CMCC formed in 1872 is an epoch-match story of sporting resilience. On September 3, 1960 the ceremonial opening of the Padang Pavilion took place at the Padang grounds in Slave Island. The current home of the CMCC was declared open by Sir Oliver Goonetilleke, the then Governor General of Ceylon. The 148-year-old CMCC lost their original home the ‘Rifle Green’ down Sir Chittampalam Gardiner Mawatha in 1939 to make way for military preparations during World War 2.
The oldest cricket club in Sri Lanka has played a vital role in moulding the sport in the country in the early decades of the game when wielding the willow was a passion. A controlling club of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), the CMCC hosted the formation of the Ceylon Cricket Association (CCA) in 1923 (the first centralised cricket administration in the county)and subsequently the formation of Ceylon Cricket Board (CCB) in 1948 and the Board of Control for Cricket in 1965, with the merging of the two bodies the CCA and CCB.
During these periods T.A.Dole (Sr) and B.J.H. Bahar, members of the CMCC held the position of Secretary Ceylon Cricket Association and Secretary Board of Control for Cricket in Ceylon. B.J.H. Bahar who trained as a coach from the Gower School of Cricket in London, also served in the national selection panel during the period. He was also instrumental in constructing the first ever indoor practice wickets and coaching school in South Asia which was located in Colombo in 1953. The school was opened by Nigel Howard, the captain of the English team on its way to the MCC’s four-Test series in India that year.
The CMCC was also the first Sri Lankan cricket club to make a historic overseas cricket tour to Bombay, India in 1907.
The old parade ground of the Malay soldiers, the ‘Rifle Green’ grounds in Colombo 2, was a gift by the then Military Command to the Malay cricketers of the ‘Ceylon Rifle Regiment’ with the disbanding of the regiment. Rifle Green was their home from 1872 to 1939.
The grounds were first relinquished in 1939 and restored after the war in 1953, only to be relinquished again in 1954 for the construction of the Slave Island Police Station. The Pavilion which was built in 1925 was restored after the war in 1950.
A Sepak Takraw match was held on Thursday - Pic by Amila Gamage
However, with plans for expansion of the Slave Island Police quarters, the Pavilion too was subsequently taken over in 1956. A Police Mess in the vicinity down Kew Road was provided to the CMCC until suitable land for grounds was available. With the persevering efforts of the then Executive Committee led by President B. Zahiere Lye MP, a new ground was provided by the State in 1960, down Kew Road in Colombo 2.
The ‘Padang’ stands on this ground in close proximity to its first home, the Rifle Green. With the Padang Pavilion opened in 1960, work on laying and preparing the cricket grounds commenced. On December 23, 1961, the Padang cricket grounds was declared open by then Inspector General of Police M.W.F. Abeyakoon with a cricket match played between the Past and Present cricketers of the CMCC followed by a Netball match by the ladies.
In passing, the revered name of the late A.C. Amath will not be missed in any story of the CMCC. Standing out as one of its iconic sons of cricket, A.C. Amath’s contribution to Sri Lanka cricket was admirable. A dashing Thomian cricketer in his youth, he led an All-Ceylon team against the visiting New South Wales team which was led by Rev. E.F. Waddy in 1914. Amath led the club team when CMCC was declared club champions in 1920. After retiring from competitive cricket, Amath dedicated his career to coaching and umpiring until his demise.
The Padang, essentially a cricket ground with five practice nets, has served many sports in the country. Schools, the Armed Forces, State institutions and Mercantile establishments make use of the facility for various sporting tournaments and practices.
The CMCC competes in the Governor’s Cup division (formerly Sara Trophy) of the SLC, in the CDCA (Colombo District Cricket Association) conducted tournaments and the Under-23 tournaments. It also fields teams for the game of hockey in the Colombo Hockey Association tournaments,rugby in the Western Province Rugby Football Union and Sri Lanka Rugby, Netball and Sepak Takraw.