| Sports |
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| ST web story draws Omar Sheriff to office |
By Rangi Akbar |
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| Omar Sheriff pictured at the Sunday Times office. Pic by Sanka Vidanagama |
Omar Sheriff, the former Sri Lanka rugby player now settled down in Sydney, Australia, made a bee-line to the Sunday Times office whilst on a visit to Sri Lanka. When asked how and why he made this visit he replied smilingly: “I read a reference to me in a sports article in the Sunday Times in your web: www Sunday Times. lk and wanted to visit your office. So here I am,” he beamed.Looking fit as ever Omar Sheriff reminisced his sporting days with Zahira, University, CH and FC, Air Force, Havelocks and the Sri Lanka national rugby team.
Omar captained Zahira in 1967 and had players such as Shaul Hameed, Omardeen, Irshad Bin Ali, Tony Amit and T.M. Morseth in his ranks. After leaving Zahira, Omar turned out for the CH with such stalwarts as Maurice Marinon, John Banks, Lorensz Pereira, Mike Davis, Noel Brohier, Brian Baptist, Chickera, Refai Hamdoon and Dr. Gamini Gunatilleke.
In the University he played alongside Drs. Maiya Gunasekera, Fred Pereira, Sarath Seneviratne, Dr. Gamini Gunatilleke and the Zanoon brothers.
At a time when Harry Gunatilleke (Snr), the Air Force Commander coached Air Force he donned the light blue Air Force rugby colours and turned out for the Force with distinction with players of repute such as Viper Gunaratne, Charles Wijewardena, Jeyer Rodriguesz, Azari Dole, Sriyantha Rajakaruna and Tikiri Marambe to name but a few. He recollects how he intercepted a pass from scrum half Malik Samarawickrema to stand off Jagath Fernando of the CR in the dying moments of the game to give Air Force a close win over the Red Shirts in the Clifford Cup final in 1971. CR also had that famous center Didacus De Almeida in their ranks that year. Omar recalls how Air Force officers such as Paddy Mendis jumped for joy at that match winning try. Omar recalls with affection his days with Havelocks under the astute leadership of Thajone Savanghan and with players such as Gamini Fernando, Shirley Tambinayagam, David Nicolle, Shafie Jainudeen, Azari Hamid, Hanzil Samad, JeffreyYu, Jeffrey de Jong and Hafi Abdeen.
He turned out for Havelocks until 1974. He was a member of the famous Havelocks team which won the Clifford Cup under Desmond Harridge’s captaincy in 1976.
From 1968 he donned Sri Lanka colours and played against the Bosuns and represented the counyry at two Asiads. In 1978 Omar switched over to Zambia where he played for Zambia in 1982 and then sought greener pastures in Australia where he has been domiciled for nearly 37 years.
He married his University sweetheart Seetha and has two sons in Ishan and Rushan and is now the grandfather of three grandchildren. |
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