Unforgettable Bandula Warnapura.

 

Bandula is no more, the sad news took me back nearly 50 years to the 1972 Ananda Nalanda Big Match where Bandula Warnapura’s broke the long-standing batting record with his brilliant knock of 118 (not out). By that time many players attempted to pass this magic score of 111(not out) by P.M. Jayathillake without much success, closest being Carl Obeysekara who got out for 111.

Bandula captained Nalanda in 1971 and had an illustrious career as a school boy cricketer being a member of the Sri Lankan School cricket team who toured India and later captaining the school’s team in the successful series with the visiting Australian School cricket team. By the Big Match Day in March 1972 every cricket enthusiast’s attention was drawn to Bandula who has already had a successful season with a number of centuries for Nalanda under the captaincy of Nandadeva Perera.

Those days as school boys the only page we used to read in the English newspapers was the last page and, on that Friday, the Daily News ran it’s sports page head line as "Warnapura against the might of Ananda". Ananda in that season recorded the most number of wins and were favourites to become the best School Cricket team of the year.

We all arrived at the ‘Oval’ with our Nalanda flags flying to witness what expected to be a memorable achievement from Bandula in breaking the 44 year old batting record set by PM Jayathillake. Nalanda had won the toss and Bandu took of his innings with style as expected with several shots to the fence, most through cover and third man area as usual. The mighty Ananda team included some of the best bowlers of the time such as Ajith De Silva, USI Perera & HDK Subash (captain). Our hopes didn’t last for long when Bandula got out trying to play over the bowler ending up offering a return catch to HDK Subash, the leg spinner. Flag waving Nalanda supporters were stunned and what a disappointment it was!

We all walked back home with our heads down and in my case, it was a disaster to have gone back to face my cousins, all Anandians, with whom I was living at the time.

The following day, Saturday Daily News did not fail to rub salt when it had "Warnapura fails Ananda on top" as its headline.

We were back in the grounds for what it was worth and yet it turned out to be the most memorable big Match Day for us Nalandians. It was not long before Nalanda had to bat for the 2nd innings and for Bandula to return to the crease. He began cautiously and steadily this time to build up his innings in beating what was considered as an impossible task by many, to reach 118 with style and elegance against undoubtedly the best bowling attack of that year.

We were jubilant and I raced back home to the Ananda dominant house hold with my face beaming.

Ironically the following day being a Sunday, The Sunday Observer joined the celebration with its banner headline "Warnapura Superb, Broke the 44 Year old Record".

What a Big Match it was and what a player Bandula was to become the first Test Cricket Captain of Sri Lanka!