DOWN MEMORY LANE - JUBILEE MATCH OF 1929
It was the day after the cyclone in the Jaffna
Peninsula I called i n at the residence of N. Kandiah, Captain of
Royal in the memorable Jubilee Match of 1929. He is an old friend of
mine but I had not met him for many a long year. He was in bed and
when my arrival was announced by his wife he was pleasantly
surprised and tried to jump out of bed like a sprightly lad, but
alas he failed, for as so many of us are beginning to realise, age
has placed her lock of infirmity on our once-active limbs. I helped
him into the garden where 1 could see and talk to the hero of
yester-years.
I began by reminding him that the Royal-Thomian
Centenary Match would take place in the coming March. A toothless
smile, a very proud one at that, dawned on his face and with a
faraway look in his eyes, he whispered, "Yes, yes I know, but what
can I do? I can't walk or talk properly." I told him that Royal had
not and would never forget him and that I had been sent as a special
emissary to get a few words from him.
He smiled again and a wave of confidence spread
over his face. "Those were the days." he murmured. "Sydney, Wilson,
F. C. de Saram, a host of my friends; how we all got together to
achieve victory over the Thomians and how we got it, in the true
Royal spirit." His mind wandered a little further down memory lane.
"How I got Dudley's wicket in the first innings, when he was really
set. He was a wonderful fellow." He stopped for a while and then
continued, "In 1967 I was standing at a bus halt near Vogue
Jewellers, Bambalapitiya when a huge limousine stopped by me and I
heard a familiar voice say, "Hey, Kandus, what the hell are you
doing here? Jump in man." I was shocked to see Dudley the Prime
Minister."
Tears came to his eyes. He said, "He took me to
Temple Trees and we chatted for many hours. We were like boys again.
Later he drove me to the Fort Railway Station where I got Into the
Jaffna train."
By this time the feeble man was wonderfully
activated. "I was like young Ranjan Madugalle fifty years ago, but
now everything is gone, gone forever." I intervened, "Kandus,
we are taking you for the Centenary Match and we will not take 'no'
for an answer." He smiled again and said, "We will see."
As I rose to take my leave I asked him, "What
have you got to tell your Royal friends?" Hugging me he replied
"Royal is always Royal. We will damn well win the match. If I can I
will come with you to see the glorious game and to see my school
win." I bid him adieu and left him, a misty eyed old man who in the
days of yore wielded the willow and brought glory to Royal.
(Notes made by Dr. S. Anandarajan at an
interview with N. Kandiah)
