In the months just gone by, ‘T.M. Samarasinghe’, Granville Harmer and Dooland Buultjens have left us without a hue and cry. Now it is ‘UDAYA’ and ‘C.D.W’.
Yes, the greats who don the white coat (I wonder if anyone now wears it!) in that memorable by-gone era of cricket in Sri Lanka are disappearing so …….swiftly now!
Wickrama Arachchige Udaya Wickramasinghe, fondly known by us as ‘WAU’, the former Sri Lankan Test and International cricket umpire - born: August 12, 1939 at Matugama - died on April 12, 2010 in Colombo at the age of 70, following a sudden illness. His funeral took place 3 days later.
Having started in 1969, Udaya umpired for three decades at all levels and forms of the game which existed then.
In an era when Test and ODI matches Sri Lanka got at home were very few and far between, he umpired three home Test matches between 1987 and 1997, against New Zealand (April 1987 at CCC), Australia (August 1992 at RPS) and Pakistan (April 1997 at RPS) – his last standing with the late reputed English umpire David Shepherd.
He also umpired 13 ODI matches between 1991 and 1998, making his debut with India vs Pakistan in Sharjah (October 1991) and ending with Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe in Colombo - (January 1998).
Udaya officiated as the TV umpire at 3 ODIs and one Test Match – all in Colombo.
For three consecutive years from 1985, he umpired as senior umpire in very many Surrey Championship games including the reputed ‘cricketer cup’ and some county second eleven matches.
Leslie Cheeseman BEM and Keir Hopley the two Senior Umpires and former secretaries of the Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers (ACU&S) England with whom UDAYA has stood on several occasions, in messages sent to me, fondly remember him and deeply regret his untimely demise.
In 1988, Udaya achieved a unique honour in qualifying as the first from overseas to qualify professionally as an ‘umpire training instructor’ of this prestigious cricketing body ACU&S England.
First from St. Peter’s College Bambalapitiya to Dharmapala M.V. Pannipitiya, thereafter Udaya joined the Immigration and Emigration Department to remain there throughout his career working as an Immigration Officer.
After retirement until his demise he served ‘Sri Lanka Cricket’ as the ‘umpire assignment officer’, besides officiating as a match referee.
He was one of the leading umpires, doing yeoman service both on and off the field during Sri Lanka’s formative years as an ICC full-member ‘test cricket’ nation.
The cricket umpiring fraternity have lost an affable and experienced figure and I warmly remember the friendly and affectionate colleague ‘at the centre’. |
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