The dark clouds were gathering around above the lofty Hantana Hills. Deep sadness pervaded the entire atmosphere. I was standing near the main entrance to the Mahaiyawa General Cemetery, with my cricket captain of Nalanda First XI in 1957 - Chandrasiri Weerasinghe. At a distance, I saw "Cum" - Coomaraswamy of Zahira College, Maradana, the opening bowler, and Anura Tennekoon, former Sri Lankan Captain. There was a fare gathering. I was shocked that there was a not a single Ananda College cricketer who played with Yatawara present on this sad day, to say good-bye to their colleague, the Great Ananda product. That’s life! Chandrasiri and I were present to pay our respects to the great Anandian, who tormented us in the Big Match played in 1957.

The hearse carrying the coffin slowly arrived at the main entrance. It was carried along the steps to the cemetery and kept on a small waiting hall. The undertakers opened the coffin and there lies our dear friend Sonny Yatawara, the great fast bowler of late 1950s. He was the man who terrorized all of us with his fast and fiery express bowling.

I witnessed all this with fearful eyes. Although we played for two rival teams, we were best of friends. Infact, when he came in to bat in the Big Match, to face Jayawickreme Perera, I wished him good luck. That was the way we played this great game.

Sonny Yatawara, who began his cricketing career in Kandy playing for Dharmaraja College, later, joined Ananda College in mid-fifties. This stocky pace bowler played for SSC and represented All Ceylon. His most prized wicket was the great Sir Garfield Sobers, when he cleaned bowled him on February 28, 1961. Sonny Yatawara played in the match between All-Ceylon Cricket Association President’s XI and the Ceylon Daily Mirror side comprising six West Indian Greats. Yatawara also captured the wicket of Wesley Hall, the fastest bowler in the world at that time.

If my memory serves me right, the Ceylon Daily Mirror XI, comprised Conrad Hunte, Garfiled Sobes, Rohan Kanhai, Seymour Nurse, Chester Watson, Wesley Hall, H. I. K. Fernando (Wicket Keeper), N Senanayake, Y Amaradasa, Priya Perera and Tissa De Soysa.

Yatawara scored 13 not out, and took 2 wickets for 41 runs.

He was the most feared schoolboy bowler that Sri Lanka produced in the late 1950’s. He was a right arm fast bowler. As a fiery paceman, I still remember how this stockily built strong man, despatched Peterite batsmen to hospital, one with four broken teeth, two with broken jaws, and one with a fractured elbow. If my memory serves me right, it was the Ananda-St Peter’s Inter School Cricket encounter played at St Peter’s ground, Bambalapitiya in 1957. We did not have protective gear like nowadays.

That demon bowler was the late SONNY YATAWARA of Ananda.

It was the best of times; it was the worst of time. No doubt, for St. Peter’s it was the worst of times - close upon half the players were hospitalised.

Sonny, I feel reached 90 - 100 m.p.h. and could swing it both ways. He was always accurate. As an individual, who faced him at his peak, I consider him the most dangerous and the fastest bowler I have ever faced, in my three and half decades of cricket at School, University and Club level.

I opened with that dashing, brilliant opening batsman Sarath Silva, for Nalanda in 1957. The Anandian attack was spearheaded by Sonny Yatawara. We were trying to build a reasonable opening stand, but a vicious rising ball ended my innings early, before I got into double figures. Ananda Skipper Anuruddha Polonnowita kept attacking us from the beginning. Anyway, Sarath and I were associated together for about an hour. Yata’s, number of deliveries whizzed past my head several times.

The two of us batted with determination. We concentrated a lot. We knew our responsibility. It was a do or die battle.

Mitra and I put Nalanda before self. Anyway, in the second innings, "Polons’ tried his leading spinner late Palitha Premasiri and left arm medium pace bowler Ananda Ranasinghe.

After batting for nearly two hours 20 minutes, I was clean bowled for nine runs in the second innings. I played the wrong line; the ball went through bat and pad and hit timber. Ananda Ranasinghe took my wicket.

Then, Chandrasiri walked in very soon after my dismissal Mitra Siriwardane followed to the pavilion. Daya Illukumbara too returned to the pavilion. Nalanda were in a dire state. The dismal score-board read 26 for 3 and Nalanda were facing an uphill task, in saving the game.

When the score-board read 23, I fell. Nalanda were chasing an Ananda total of 258.

The silver lining in the Nalanda innings was skipper Chandrasiri Weerasinghe’s fighting and brilliant 60. Nalanda folded their innings for 120 runs and had to follow on. In the second innings, Chandrasiri scored 94 runs.

Added to our woes, our star batsman, my opening partner Sarath Silva was injured. His right elbow was plastered - a victim of "Yata". Therefore, in the second innings I opened with Mitra Siriwardane, who later represented the Police. He ended his career, as a Deputy Inspector General of Police. We fought hard. Polons was attacking all the time.

Ananda, brimming with confidence started the proceedings with Yatawara and S. P. Ekanayake. Mitra and I were determined to hold on. We were sent into bat at about 10.10am. Anyway, we survived till lunch. Ananda skipper Polonovita, knew his prize wicket was Chandrasiri Weerasinghe, that brilliant batting artist. I consider Chandrasiri as the best batsman that Nalanda ever produced. Nalanda all-rounder, Chandrasiri’s name sake and Shirley Weerasinghe began the great rescue act.

I still remember, Chandrasiri, pasted Polon for 20 runs in one over with a straight six. From the score-board end he tried Palith Premasiri one of the best off-spinners in the island. He entrusted Yatawara to bowl from the Tennis Court end.

Chandrasiri who believed that attack is the best form of defence pummelled Yatawara. His copy book "hook shot" was a treat to watch. "Yata" was pasted. The Score-board started ticking. It read 100 for 3. Our opening bowler "Mr Reliable" Shirley (H S) Weerasinghe batted with so much of confidence, he was like the Rock of Gibraltar". Both got into their half centuries. More than that the two Weerasinghe’s saved Nalanda.

They put on 150 runs for the fourth wicket, and saved Nalanda.

Sonny Yatawara, for the first time, met his "waterloo". Chandrasiri was at its brilliant best. Some of his fierce deliveries which were arisen from the leg stump, leg boundary perfect in timing. Shirley on the other hand played a second fiddle, but with authority.

These two put on more than 150 runs and saved Nalanda from the jaws of defeat.

The other Nalandian who shone in this Big Match was Gamini Jayawickrama Perera, our left arm opening bowler who captured 5 for 55 in his debut. Today, he is playing a totally a different game - "Politics" - and a member of Parliament NWP.

For Ananda, right hand stylish opener Daya Amarasinghe scored a brilliant half a century.

Sonny Yatawara scored a quick 48 in this match. For Nalanda, Mahawatta Premaratne and Mahinda Athulathmudali, bowled well.

Sonny Yatawara’s overall first class bowling figure 1950/61 - 1961-62 reads as follows: Balls - 324, Maidens - 19, Runs - 106, wickets 02, BB 2/39, Average 53.00.

His first class career batting and fielding during the period 1960/61 - 1961-62 shows that in 2 matches, in two innings, he scored 51 runs and his highest score was 47. Average 25.00. He held 2 catches.

On 18th August 1957, he played of Ceylon in Malaya and also played against Singapore too.

On 6th September 1957, he played for Ceylon at The Padang, Kualampur in Malaysia and on February 10, 1962, against Marylebone Cricket Club.

Sonny Yatiwara served at Ceylon Tobacco and later took to cricket coaching.

He coached Dharmaraja in 1962 and later coached St Thomas’ College, Matale. In 1978, he coached Trinity College Junior Teams and also coached Kandy Cricket Club.

It was strange coincidence, representing Sri Lanka Cricket Board I have to deliver a funeral oration relative to my good friend Yatiwara in 2001.

Yatawara was a fierce competitor, he was a fine gentleman and jewel of a man.

In concluding my short funeral oration, I concluded "May Sonny Yatawara attain the Bliss of Nibbana".