A tribute to a great leader

81st Birth Anniversary of Gamini Dissanayake

By Anura Tennekoon

I consider it a great privilege to write about the late Gamini Dissanayake on the ocassion of his 81st birth anniversary. In 1994, when Mr. Dissanayake served his second term as the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka, I had the pleasure of working with him as the Honorary Secretary of the Board.

It was easy to work with Mr. Dissanayake as he communicated effectively and listened intently to matters that had to be discussed. He had the ability to weigh the pros and cons of important matters and make quick decisions so that action could be taken without delay. Even when he had to turn down a proposal, he gave reasons for doing so without hurting the feelings of the proposer. I was privy to such actions of Mr. Dissanayake at the many meetings we had to discuss the development of the game of cricket. He was a very caring person who had the ability to recognise people. I vividly remember a gesture of his which depicts this attribute. My wife and I were seated at a corner table at a wedding reception, where Mr. Dissanayake was a distinguished guest. He was leaving the function early and had reached the exit when he saw us from the corner of his eye. He immediately turned around and came to our table to greet us.

In the 1970s, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board had been appealing to the International Cricket Council to grant it Full Membership (Test Status) but had not succeeded in this endeavour. However, Mr. Dissanayake made a convincing presentation to the International Cricket Council at their Annual deliberations and was instrumental in obtaining Test Status for Sri Lanka on 21st July 1981. As Mr. Dissanayake had given the ICC the assurance that he would develop the infrastructure for cricket in Sri Lanka to meet International requirements, he set about upgrading the Trinity College Cricket Grounds in Asgiriya as a Test venue in Kandy within a year. Kandy required an International venue and this ground

which was opened in February 1982 was the most suitable in the area.

Mr. Dissanayake was a charismatic person who could persuade and motivate people. In November 1981. He solicited the help of leading companies and Institutions in Sri Lanka to form The Sri Lanka Cricket Foundation. Then in June 1983 he engaged the services of Sir Garfield Sobers funded by the Cricket Foundation to Coach the National Cricket Team which was a master stroke in boosting the confidence and morale of the relatively inexperienced Sri Lanka Team in the Test Arena. As such, in 1985 Sri Lanka won its first Test victory when it defeated India in the second match of the series at the Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo.

Mr. Dissanayake was a person who would deliver on any commitment he had undertaken. When Mr. Dissanayake became the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka, the Cricket Board did not have its own office. In June 1982 He proceeded to lease a portion of the Sinhalese Sports Club grounds to have the Board’s Office Complex constructed together with a Grandstand to provide better accommodation for spectators.

In 1984, he had the Cricket Foundation construct the Indoor Cricket training centre at the Nondescript Cricket Club Grounds, which enabled National Cricketers as well as aspiring young cricketers to practice well into the evenings and on rainy days. The Cricket Foundation also provided infrastructure and cricket equipment to Schools for the advancement of the game at grass root level. Players such as Lasith Malinga, Chamara Silva and Malinga Bandara were unearthed through the training Clinics conducted at the Indoor Cricket Centre.

As the Minister of Mahaweli Development, Mr. Dissanayake achieved much for his country and due to his cruel and untimely demise Sri Lanka lost a great Cricket administrator and Statesman.