Three months ago, on February 21, one of the most prominent products of S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, Ranil Abeynaike, was taken on his final journey to be laid to rest a the General Cemetery, Mount Lavinia.
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| Ranil Abeynaike |
They say the good die young and death comes like a thief in the night and when the final call comes one has to go. It cannot be put back. But Ranil’s death was a shock and still is not only to the members of his family, but to all those who came in contact with him. Unlike many of us, Ranil chose to bank his treasurers in the hearts of all those who came in contact with him.
Ranil first saw the light of day on February 12, 1955 and was enrolled to S. Thomas’ in 1962. His father, the late Orville Abeynaike was at that time on the tutorial staff and the hockey and cricket coach. While at S. Thomas’ Orville’s most memorable performance was when he routed Royal College in the ‘Big Match’ in 1941 with figures of six for 41.
The son had to naturally follow in the footsteps of the father and proved to be a chip bigger than the block with his sporting and other achievements.
Ranil cut his first cricketing teeth, when was chosen to play in the under-12 team from 1963 to ’65 and skipper the side in his last year, he then represented the under-14 squad and led the team in 1986 and was vice captain of the under-16 in 1970. He then iced the cake when he played in the Big Matches in 1970 to 1973 and then achieved something 73, Ranil reached his cricketing ‘Himalaya’ when he was crowned Schoolboy Cricketer in 1973 and furthermore, he walked off with the Best Bowler award as well.
Ranil also proved his prowess at the game which is played with the curved stick, when he played for the hockey team from 1971 to 1973, leading the side in 1973. He also represented the Colombo Schools at the nationals during this period and awarded Ceylon School Colours in 1971.
Ranil then added another string to his bow when he took up the game of tennis. He won the Junior Doubles in 1969 and 1970, the same event at the Public Schools meet in the same years. He was captain in 1973 and was awarded Public Schools Colours in 1972.Ranil was also an athlete of no mean repute when he represented the school at the Zonal Meets from 1965 to 1970 and the Junior Public Schools Meet in 1968.
Ranil also turned out for the Nondescripts CC in the Pioneer and Andriesz Shield hockey tournament and the SSC in the Donovan and Brown’s Trophy in cricket. He also set up a new bowling record in 1972/73 when he captured 90 wickets in inter schools matches.
His other sporting achievements were the C.M. Samarasinghe Cup for bowling, the Thambiraja Thambimuttu Cup for Bowling in the Big Match in 1973. Leonard Arndt Cup for the Best Performance on the first day of the Royal-Thomian match in 1973, captain of the Thomian team that was adjudged that was adjudged the Best Team in 1973, captain of the 50-over Schools Champion Team the same year and won the award for the Best Bowler of the tournament.
Speaking at the service before Ranil was taken on his final journey, his life time friend Ajit Jayasekera recalled his first personal encounter with Ranil. Ranil was around 14 years of age and Ajit was going out to bat in the Big Match. The young Ranil with bottle of water in one hand and a blue black flag in the other walked up to Ajit and said, “now do not play any silly shots – bat carefully.” If his father the coach, Orville Abeynaike had told Ajit those words, it would have been understandable, but this was from his son. So even at that tender age, it showed Ranil’s deep thinking of the game. In 2003 he took over the coaching of his Alma Mater and within two years churned out a team that won the Big Match.
The following year they lost to Royal and Ranil could just not come to terms how a team that scored over 550 runs could lose. But Ranil had blue black blood running in his veins and made a comeback the following year with a vengeance. He read the riot act to his charges and drilled it into them that they had to bring the Senanayake Shield back to Mount Lavinia the following year.
He got the boys to write the words ‘the shield will be back’ on a board and had it hung up at the back of the dressing room. Any cricketer who walked into that room and saw that board would have been inspired with those words. Yes, the shield was back the very next year, when retribution came hurtling out of the skies on to the heads of the Royalists and their posteriors were tanned black and blue by an innings.
That day, the usually impassive Ranil had tears of joy streaming down and Ajit Jayasekera was there by his side to savour the moment with him. During the three years that Ajit spent with him in the coaching of the team, he had an insight into Ranil’s many endearing qualities – his dedication to his God, his beloved family, to his college. Although S. Thomas’ produced Ranil Abeynaike, he did not belong exclusively to S. Thomas’. Ranil belonged to the entire country. With his demise the world lost a great man. –
-Bruce Maurice |
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