Sports - Opening the Innings

“It was an awesome feeling mixed with great expectations. That inner feeling was telling us that we had finally arrived.” That is exactly how Sidath Wettimuny who opened batting for Sri Lanka in the inaugural Test explained his feelings when he went out to bat on that historic day. On Wednesday, February 17, 1982 Sri Lanka became cricket's eighth Test-playing country when Bob Willis bowled to Bandula Warnapura.

Warnapura had become the first Sri Lanka captain to win a toss; but, minutes later, he was the first batsman to get out when he was taken high in the gully by David Gower when he fended at Willis outside the off stump for 2.

The match itself had been in preparation since the previous July when the ICC finally granted Sri Lanka Full Member status after a prudent campaign by the then Mahaveli Minister Gamini Dissanayake.

Cricket is in the nation's blood. The Lankan passion for cricket is legendary. Sometimes even more than the other Test playing nations Sri Lanka had a rich cricket playing tradition with games like the Royal-Thomian match taking deep root in our society. Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, had been a regular stop-off point for touring sides to Australia since Ivo Bligh broke his journey in 1882-83 while scores of legendary players including the late Donald Bradman had played in Colombo.

In the seven months since the ICC decision to take the island as one of its full members, preparations had been growing in anticipation of the match. Huge amounts of money had been spent on modernizing the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium and building stands to take the capacity to more than 20,000.

The tenements near the stadium were demolished and the 20 or so families who lived there were relocated. Other venues in Colombo, as well as Galle and Radella, were also renovated. In Kandy, the Asgiriya ground, the Trinity College ground where Gamini Dissanayake was an old boy was doubled in size by removing part of a hill and then constructing a new pavilion.

Upon their arrival England spent a few days acclimatizing. Then a VIP train took them to their first game in Kandy. Though the game ended in a draw it had a bit of a premonition. The Board President’s Xl playing under Duleep Mendis made 273 for 5 with a monumental knock of 142 not out coming off the bat of Ranjan Madugalle. England clawed up to 360 with a century by Geoff Cook which earned him his Test cap a few days later. However Sri Lanka batting for the second time slumped to 125 for 6 with off spinner John Embury who ended up with 1 for 81 in the first innings finishing with figures of 3 for 48. The only batsman to show any resistance this time was schoolboy Arjuna Ranatunge who made 33 not out. This knock may have been a prelude for him to win a Test cap a few days later. This was followed by the two one-day internationals, both played out before a capacity crowd of over 20,000 at the SSC Grounds. England won the first by five runs, in spite of an attractive 51 made by the late Anura Ranasinghe. In reply to England’s 211 all out made in 44.4 overs, Sri Lanka finished at 206 for 8 at the end of the 45th over. In the second match Sri Lanka batting first made 215 pinnacled by a 109 ball 86 not out made by Sidath Wettimuny and a stylish knock of 42 made by young Arjuna Ranatunge. At one stage England seemed to be coasting along with 122 for 2, but four run outs saw them sliding and when Asantha de Mel had Bob Willis caught by Madugalle for nought, Sri Lanka had won their first one-day international as a full Test playing nation by three runs while England lost their last five wickets for nine runs. The crowd invaded the pitch at the end, lit celebratory bonfires in the stands, and remained in front of the pavilion long after the sun had set and the cheering went late into the night.

Two days later when the Test started, around 10,000 presented themselve at the start – wearing caps stating “the first Test I was there”. The atmosphere was electric. Also there were plenty of dignitaries, led by President J. R. Jayewardene, government ministers, various cricket administrators from across the world, and many former national players.

Bandula Warnapura who led the side in that game re-capped the moment “That day I remember the entire team was relaxed. We were not very interested in winning or losing the toss. We even did not have a coach at that time. But, the entire team was determined to make a good impact about our cricket on the rest of the World. We knew that the English team was a very experienced one. However I still can remember how proud I felt while walking on to the wicket to toss with the England captain Keith Fletcher.”

Willis noted that the residual dampness made Warnapura's decision to bat dubious, and they slid to 34 for 4. It was at this juncture that the seventeen-year-old Arjuna Ranatunge, still a schoolboy walked in to join Ranjan Madugalle. The fifth wicket pair added 99 runs and saw Sri Lanka surviving to score 218 in their first innings. Ranatunge became the first Sri Lankan to score a Test half century and was out for 54 while Madugalle top scored with 65.

Veteran left arm spinner Derek Underwood was the most effective bowler to finish with figures of 5 for 28.

Medium pacer Asantha de Mel (4 for 70), Right arm leg spinner D.S. de Silva (3 for 54) and left arm orthodox spinner Ajith de Silva bowled best to restrict England to only 223 runs in their first innings, mid third day. Then Sri Lanka batting for the second time finished the third day also at a very healthy 152 for 3 after skipper Warnapura 38 and elegant Roy Dias 77 giving the Englishmen further evidence of Sri Lankan talent.

In the fourth morning Sri Lanka had added another twelve runs before they lost overnight batsman Madugalle for 3. Then all hell broke loose as off spinner Embury who looked almost a passenger through the match took control of the situation. Sri Lanka lost seven wickets for eight runs in a huge slump with Embury leading an unexpected attack to finish with 6 for 33.

At this point the Englishmen used their experience with Chris Tavare leading them with good knock of 85 to see the visitors through to a seven-wicket win inside four days.

However patronizing the visitors were the tiny Sri Lankans had given the rest of the cricketing world one message. In no uncertain words they said “We have arrived!”.