First double centurion at Asgiriya is a forgotten man now

The batsman who scored the first double hundred on the freshly rebuilt Asgiriya Stadium is a bit of a forgotten man now. A Trinitian could reasonably have been expected to be the first. However, it was Senaka Dissanaike, the slimly-built Dharmaraja Captan and opener who achieved the feat in the 1984 Big Match against Kingswood.

Senaka, who captained his school’s under-17 team in 1981, represented the first eleven team from 1982 to 1984. Apart from that memorable 200, he made 198 against Nalanda, 119 against Zahira, an unbeaten century (St Thomas’, Matale) and 105 against the Mt Lavinia Thomians.

The high-point of his career was selection for the under-19 national team that toured Australia in 1984. Captained by Aravinda de Silva, that team included the likes of Marlon Von Hagt (another Kandy lad as the Vice Captain), Roshan Mahanama, Asanka Gurusinghe, Don Arunasiri, Gamini Wickremasinghe, Jerome Jayaratne and the late Sujeeva Kumalasuriya (whose fate it was to come home on holiday from Australia and be caught up in the Tsunami).

Memories come flooding back as Senaka recalls that Marlon and he opened in all three ‘unofficial’ Tests and one-dayers. He has vivid memories of scoring 56 at the famed MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground, for the uninitiated!). The effort that gave him the greatest pleasure was a partnership of 121 for the third wicket with Aravinda, who made a masterly 142.

As for his opponents in the Australian side, Craig McDermott scalped eight victims in the first test and then was pulled out of the remaining two. In their collective wisdom, the selectors rather condescendingly felt that McDermott would be better served playing in the Sheffield Shield competition. Senaka, adds with a chuckle, that Mark Taylor who went on to become one of Australia’s best Captains, was dismissed cheaply in all three tests.

The Waugh brothers were a different proposition altogether with the elder twin Steve Scoring 182 at the MCG and the younger Mark contributing 110 at the Adelaide Oval. A ten year stint with his home-town club (Kandy CC) followed, and Senaka kept churning out the centuries. He scored 149 versus Ambalangoda Rio at the Colts Grounds, an unbeaten 107 (NCC) at Asgiriya, 104 (Galle) also at Asgiriya, 102 (Moors') and 116 (Sebastianites). Turning out for the Central Province and Kandy District sides was par for the course, as it were. Greener pastures beckoned and Senaka duly took wing to Australia around 1995 and represented Chernside Park CC for seven seasons as player/captain cum coach. A little immodestly, he says he was the best player in the Club.

Having coached his alma mater from 1991-93, Senaka is back in his old roll, mentoring the Rajan seniors in 2005/06 and 2006/07. His view is that there is a big difference between the Dharmaraja of his time and the present day. There is far greater use of technology, more materials and more facilities. But sadly, he says that cricket skills haven’t developed. The players haven’t developed. The players haven't matured sufficiently and there isn’t enough social interaction.

In conclusion, Senaka says that there isn’t a big gap between the cricket-playing schools in Kandy. A leveling process has taken place. With his many achievements, some kind of recognition should have come his way. Sadly, kissing seems to go by favour. - AK