by Gerry Vaidyasekera
As Honorary Coach, at the ripe old age of 83, I coached the boys of two schools in the Polgahawela electorate; one at Potuhera and the other model school at Pologahawela in cricket. Under my coaching, both schools maintained unbeaten records and ‘Big Matches’ were played for the first time.

Both schools had no money for cricket gear. Kusal Gunasekara and Mahinda Wijesinghe generously contributed nearly Rs. 100,000/- worth of equipment to both schools. Hemaka Amarasuriya and Ian Peris with pleasure contributed to the laying of a concrete practice pitch at Potuhera. This practice pitch was destroyed by the Army when levelling the playground. Students wore pads and gloves for the first time in their lives.

But with the appointment of new heads to both schools, sports, including cricket was banned. Cricket equipment is now lying idle at both schools and in the homes of students. Kusil Gunasekera and I purchased for Rs. 15,000 a new full length jute matting for the model school. It is now lying idle in a distant corner of the school.

The P.T.I’s of both schools are the worst offenders. The students pester them to continue cricket, but they turn a deaf ear. They are pleased to go home at 2 p.m. I, myself, was surprised at the hidden talents in both schools.

The retired principal of the model school and myself offered trophies for the ‘Big Matches’. But except for the inaugural matches, no further games were played.

Neither were the trophies returned to its donors. The Heads and the P.T.I’s are ignorant of this cricket tradition.

Dear Sports Minister, as you hail from Kurunegala, please hold a full inquiry into this sports ban in both schools. I assure you there’s plenty of talent in both schools. It is your sacred duty and which to encourage hidden talent for the sake of our beloved country.