Remembering Kandy’s two gifted sportsmen

 Memories of the death of two gifted sportsmen – a Royalist and a Sylvestrian – are still fresh in the minds of the local community in Kandy two decades after their passing away. Royal’s first Bradby captain, a fine cricketer and sports promoter Dr. C.D.L. Fernando passed away on September 22, 1987 which marks his 32nd death anniversary and the other, M.E. Marikar, well-known sportsman, promoter, sportswriter for Daily Mirror and Sunday Times and first Sylvestrian to play Division I cricket died 23 years ago on September 19, 1996. 

Dr. C.D.L. Fernando was a versatile sportsman, sports benefactor, philanthropist and above all, a gentleman par excellence who left this world in 1987. CDL, as he was known by everyone, started his schooling at S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia and later crossed over to Royal College where he excelled in cricket, rugger and athletics, and also was in the ring as a fine boxer. 

Twenty three years ago on September 19, Kandy lost one of its top journalists who was a versatile sportsman and sports promoter, M.E. Marikar.  

M.E. Marikar was well-known in sporting, political and social fields. He was an amiable, sporty and generous individual. He had a commanding personality, was tall and well-built. His majestic and dominant physical stature drew a smile or good morning from the general public as he went about his work

ME, Mariks or Thata Marikar to his friends, he was a household name in sports. At school St. Sylvester’s College, he was a top-class sportsman, a boxer in Stubbs Shield meets, a public school athlete. He also played football and hockey and led both teams. After leaving school, he continued his sports, playing football and hockey for Young Stars SC, football for Green Field SC and Kandy YMMA. He also played for Saunders SC Colombo, Kandy District and Up-country. 

He started his career with the Marketing Department and played football and cricket and also for the Government Services team. He led the Government Service Football team in 1956 and later served the Army 2 SR and played and led their football and cricket teams before taking to journalism. 

He worked for ‘Times Group’ and later for Wijeya Newspapers for 35 long years from 1962 to 1997. Mariks used his pen to tell the country what was happening at Kandy in his own inimitable style of writing. He was an outstanding gentleman and highly-respected journalist who kept his level. 

M.E. Marikar was well-known in sporting, political and social fields. He was an amiable, sporty and generous individual. He had a commanding personality, was tall and well-built. His majestic and dominant physical stature drew a smile or good morning from the general public as he went about his work. He hailed from a respected family in Kandy. 

To think or write of CDL is difficult as one does not know where to start and where to end for he had such a multifaceted character as a sports promoter, doctor and social worker and above all, a trusted and loving friend of everyone

He also played cricket for Moors SC in the premier league. He became the first Sylvestrian to play Premier League cricket. When he was schooling, there was no cricket. He took to cricket later. He played for Kandy Lake Club, Kandy United, Kandy District, Up-country, Times of Ceylon, Government Services and Sri Lanka Press. He was a renowned figure. Once on his way for the inaugural test match at Oval, President J.R. Jayewardene spotting Mariks offered him a lift in his official limousine. Again when he was on his way for a football final, President Premadasa saw him and offered a lift to Sugathadasa Stadium. 

During his school days, he was under the principalship of famous educationist, the late D.J.N. Seneviratne. At school, he was a top-class sportsman, a fine boxer at Stubbs Shield meets, a public school athlete and captained both football and hockey teams. After leaving school, he continued his sports, played football and hockey for Young Stars Sports Club. He also played football for Green Field Sports Club and Kandy YMMA. He also played for Saunders SC, Colombo. While in Kandy, he played for Kandy District and Up-country. 

He had a warm and generous heart and went out of his way to help a friend or journalist from any newspaper. His contribution to those of Kandy in the field of sports and in general will be long remembered. He lived a simple life and moved with everybody and had connections with many leading figures of almost all political parties and the business world. Kandy lost a sincere friend, helpful colleague and a man of rare qualities and principles. His wife Hidaya passed away a few months back in USA; Sons Hilmy (Switzerland), Rozana (no more), Foumy (Luxembourg) and daughter Soraya (USA). 

On September 22 was the 32nd death anniversary of great sports promoter Dr. C.D.L. Fernando, who was Kandy’s versatile sportsman, sports benefactor and philanthropist. 
To think or write of CDL is difficult as one does not know where to start and where to end for he had such a multifaceted character as a sports promoter, doctor and social worker and above all, a trusted and loving friend of everyone. 

His devotion to sport needs no introduction. He played cricket for Royal and led the side, later he played for SSC, University, Health Department, Kandy United CC, Kandy and Central Province. At Cricket, CDL was an all-rounder. An aggressive batsman, a medium-pace bowler and a brilliant close in fielder. He played cricket for Royal in the years 1944, 1945 and 1946. During his last game for school in 1946, that was the ‘Battle of the Blues,’ he had a match-bag of nine wickets for just fifty four runs, in 23.2 overs, out of which seven were maidens. He pocketed five wickets in the first innings and four in the second. His first year was under George Rajapakse, 1945 captain, Vivian de Kretser and in 1946, his good friend Mahes Rodrigo. 
CDL was one time President of the Kandy District Cricket Association and he did a wonderful job for a number of years. Some of the committee members during his time were Dr. M.S. Uduwella, Z.M. Jahuffer, D.H. de Silva, Raja Abeyanayake, Shaw Willson, Deva Amunugama, Malcolm Perera, Aubrey Kurrupu and Hafiz Marikar. They did everything possible to promote the game. Then came his big break in cricket where he was called to replace Abu Fuard who took short leave, as manager of the Sri Lanka Cricket team, after we achieved ‘Test’ status and Duleep Mendis was captain. That was when New Zealanders were here. In 1978, Kandy’s rugger reached dizzy heights under his stewardship. In 1978, he was the President of Kandy SC and guided the side to enter the final after nine years and lost to Havelock SC in the cup final 4-10. The side was led by Irwin Howie and players who were in the team included Nimal Malagamuwa, Sunil Searasinghe, Sunil Munasinghe, Gamage Ariyarthne, Sen U Swan, Jerome Grey, Nihal Ananda, Athula Manchanayake, Iftikar Uvais, Alaln Vooght, Lakshman Dullewe, Hafiz Marikar, Bola Gunartne and Roy Amith. 

CDL played rugger for Royal from 1943 to 1945 and had the privilege of leading the side in 1945 thus becoming the first Bradby captain in the very first game; Royal won the first leg 3-0 and in the second leg over here in the hills, Trinity beat Royal 6-0. When he led the first Bradby team, Royal was made out of players like S.V. Edirimanasinghe, T. Mukherjee, C.D.L. Fernando (Capt), F.D. Schoorman (who scored the first Bradby try), D. de Moor, L. Kumarasinhe, J.M. Cumaraswamy, D.R. Amerasinghe, Mahes Rodrigo, R. Rajaratnam, U. Amarasinghe, N.W. Karunarathne, A.C.M. Nizar, R.M.S. de Silva and M. Kassipillai. After leaving school, CDL played as a front row forward for CR & FC and later for the university. After coming to Kandy as a doctor, he was with the late E.W. Balasuriya when he formed Kandy Lake Club. As a footballer, he played for Young Stars SC and was a long-standing President of Kandy Football League. He was also a fine cueist and played with the great M.J.M. Lafir. He was also a top lawn tennis player with Kandy Lawn Club. Furthermore, he was the President of Kandy boxing, volleyball, softball cricket and tennis associations. 

CDL and ME are no more, but their memories in sporting and political fields will remain forever etched in the minds of all those who knew them. 
Hafiz Marikar