Sajith the cynosure of all eyes

Sometime in 1999, a starry- eyed employee of the Sampath Bank in Colombo, got off a bus in Kandy and was looking for the whereabouts of the Kandy Sports Club. A trifle nervously he asked someone how he could get to his destination. A long look, and then he question was passed: "Are you Sajith Mallika – Arachchi?." It was no bus ride to Nittawela, but a trip in a three wheeler courtesy the Kandy supporter.

1998 was a fantastic year for the CR & FC who won both the League and Knock Out titles and stayed unbeaten under the leadership of Champika Nishantha. However at the end of the season, Nalaka Weerakkody, who was contemplating a return to the Kandy Club, suggested to team- mate Sajith that he too should throw in his lot with Kandy. Relishing on his very first visit to the club that it was very well organized and that the approach was very professional, Sajith conqurred.

Going back in time, Sajith was part of those invincible Isipathana teams of 1996 and 1997 under brother Bandula and Vajira Hewage. Those teams which also included Ruvan Saranga and Shamly Nawaz won every game they played. Picked for the Sri Lanka pool while at school, Sajith was forced to play a few games of A Division Rugby for Peterson S.C. But from 1999 to 2007, it has been Kandy SC and only Kandy SC. He made no demands of Kandy SC when he joined, but says he was given a vehicle in two years.

Sajith who captained the Kandy club in 2003 and 2006 turned out for the Sri Lanka team from 1997 to 2007. He captained the country in 2005 and 2006 and says those years were memorable as he had a set of skilful, hard players such as Dilanka Wijesekera, Pavitra Fernando, Sanjeeva Jayasinghe, Ashan Lewke, Fazil Marija, Pradeep Liyanage and T.A. Silva.

Sri Lanka which was languishing in 10th place in the Asian region shot up five places under his leadership. The skipper recalls the two world cup quarters against Kazakhstan. The first leg was lost 34/40 and everything hinged on the return match at Longdon Place. His team was able to turn tables on the visitors and win 24-12 thus beating the visitors overall.

Sajith points to the ten day training camp held at Nuwara Eliya prior to the Kazakhstan matches as having been very productive and a very good bonding experience. The opportunity to move and mix with players from other clubs and also to room with them was a very good one. By the way, this was the first time the SLRFU provided this facility.

At the Dubai Sevens in 2002, Sri Lanka was on the verge of defeating Wales in the bowl semi finals when they scored a try. To their utter amazement and intense disappointment, this was ruled no try by the Touch Judge as he suspected a forward pass.

This sevens team according to Sajith was a superb unit, including as it did the likes of Sanjeeva Jayasinghe, Indrajith Bandaranaike, Leonard de Silva, Nalaka Weerakkody, Radhika Hettiarachchi, Sajith himself and Ruwantilleka (a Navy player whose origins were in Ruwanwella).

A much-travelled rugby player, Sajith has played in five Hong Kong Sevens tournaments, three at the Dubai Sevens, twice in Thailand and once in South Africa.

He is pleased as punch that he was able to rub shoulders with rugby greats such as Serevi (Fiji) David Campese (Australia) Brian Lima (Samoa), Eric Rush (New Zealand) and Galling (England) Sajith who missed much of the 2007 season on account of an injured Achilles tendon, hopes to play for two more seasons. An eligible bachelor at the moment, Sajith expects to tie the nuptial knot in the near future. There’s no girl friend on the horizon, so the young ladies of Kandy and Colombo should have a chance of netting the big fish!