MY RECOLLECTIONS OF CRICKET AT RC FROM
1923 TO 1929 BY D.W.L. LIVERSZ
It is generally believed that the older you
get, the clearer in your mind become the days of youth and
childhood.
When I sat down to write my recollections of
the years I played cricket for Royal, I found that the days were
clear indeed. The comradeship and team spirit, the excitement of the
games, and best of all, the feeling of kinship which Royal has a
special way of rousing, all came into my mind.
I was sixteen years old when I was picked to
play for the 1923 cricket team. I believe I was picked mainly for
batting, although I recall the great attention I paid to fielding.
In those days to be a reliable fieldsman was mandatory on every
member of a cricket team, school or club, the days of specialists
were in the future.
M. C. Dias captained our team in 1923, and
again in 1924. In 1925 I played under the legendary Chippy
Gunasekera and in 1926 I had the honour of captaining Royal myself.
These four years live in my memory very clearly, and at odd times,
incidents come to my mind, some pleasant, some tense but all
interesting to me. I think I speak for all my team mates of these
four glorious years to me when I say that we not only had a
wonderful time, but we are looking back, grateful for the privilege
of being Royalists and representing the College at cricket.
The 1923 match was won by Royal in the third
ball of the last over when our captain took a return catch off his
own bowling. We lost the next year when S. T. C. had a superior
side. I was fortunate to have scores of 38 and 39 in the two
innings. The staff was so pleased that a spontaneous prize was
awarded, with P. 1. Roberts, L. V. Gooneratne, J. G. Paulusz, F. D.
Wijesinghe, R. C. Edwards leading the movement to award a special
prize. Royal won again in 1925, with Chippy as captain, Neil Joseph
scored his first big-match century, a superb 113 runs with
unstoppable boundaries all round the wicket. I scored 55. I
remember the jubilation that year. It was not the sort of
celebration of present years, in which over enthusiastic crowds of
small boys, and sometimes not so small boys, invade the field and
disturb play, delaying the orderly progress of cricket. Old timers
traditionally believe that the days of their youth were superior to
the days of today's youth, and quite often they are wrong. But in
this matter of invading the field, I don't think my generation is
wrong to wish it would stop. 1925 was the year in which J. R.
Jayewardene, President of the Republic of Sri Lanka played for
Royal. Even as a school-boy, he stood out, and stands out in the
memories of men like me, his vintage, and much younger men as. well.
He was a good batsman, a straight bat who
learnt how to bat, and practised what he learnt. He was an
outstanding fieldsman, particularly in the out field where I
distinctly remember his taking an excellent catch on the legside
boundary.
1926 was the year I captained and naturally a
very special year to me. It was an unique season. When the day came
for the Royal-Thomian match we had still to win a game. S. T. C. was
riding high on the crest of a justifiable wave of confidence. We had
the feeling that even if we did not face the big match with
confidence, we faced it with a stern determination to do the best we
could. My opening knock of 14 runs was a start good enough, though 1
would have liked to stay longer at the wicket. First innings runs
were of great importance, and our battle would be half won, or at
least surer, if we piled up a sizeable score. Then Neil Joseph came
in to bat. Neil's glamour remains in the memory. A slim school boy
with a bat in his hand but what a man, what a batsman - Neil went on
to score a century, 133 runs his second in the series, which in
cricket's way dazzled and demoralised a team sure of winning. We
won. Neil's performance stood out, but as captain, I still recall
the grit with which we went out to play as a team. This match the
Royal-Thomian will remain in my memory after I have forgotten much
else, and I am sure the two survivors of the Royal team of that
year, N. Kandiah who went on to captain the 1929 Jubilee Match and
my brother E. G. L. Lieversz will feel the same of those who have
passed away. I recall the late Bishop Harold de Soysa. He was an
outstanding right-arm seam bowler, full of concentration and with an
instinctive feeling for all that is good in cricket.
I was happy at Royal. It made me whatever I am,
and whatever I have achieved. These debts all Royalists owe are
beyond repaying, but they are debts that sit with grace upon us.
D. W. L.
LIEVERSZ
