Anura Tennekoon notches another half century partnership
...together after five decades
Former Sri Lanka cricket captain Anura Tennakoon and wife, Nelun celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on Thursday (June 6) with a quiet religious service attended by family members depicting the classy batsman’s dignified demeanor on and off the field.
Tennakoon, the former Thomian captain who went on to lead the national team in the immediate pre-Test era, led
Sri Lanka at the World Cups in 1975 as well as in 1979.
A stylish right hand batsman of the textbook cricketer mould, he played alongside other greats of his era such Michael Tissera and Ranjit Fernando, as well as with the next generation of budding Test players in Roy Dias, Duleep Mendis and Bandula Warnapura, the latter going on to become Sri Lanka’s first Test skipper in 1981.
Tennakoon dedicated himself in such a way to the game even off the field that he focused entirely on the well-being of the sport and its integrity.
Tennakoon married Nelun Ramanayake, an Attorney at Law, on June 6, 1974, a year before he was appointed captain of Sri Lanka. He
later served as an administrator at the then Board of Control for Cricket in
Sri Lanka, as well as the manager of the Sri Lanka cricket team.
Anura and Nelun -- start of the innings way back in 1974...
Four years ago Tennakoon released his autobiography ‘Passionately Cricket’, in which he dedicated the book to his wife, who had been insistent to pen down his path towards leading the country from the humble beginnings as a school cricketer.
“I dedicate this book to my wife, Nelun, who typed out the transcripts, so I consider this a joint venture,” Tennakoon stated at the release of his book during March of 2020.
The couple who had been together through thick and thin, is adored by their close associates and family in reaching the exceptional partnership of half century as life partners. The Tennakoons celebrated their stand of 50 not out with close family members.