Appreciation: Nihal Soysa

I was deeply saddened to hear of the demise of my first club captain and friend, Nihal Soysa. Nihal was an outstanding allround sportsman at St. Benedict’s College who reached national level in cricket and athletics.

Nihal excelled in the High Jump at St. Benedict’s and most of the schoolboy athletes joined CT & FC and Nihal was appointed first captain of the CT & FC junior side, the “Gazelles”. Nihal led a strong Gazelles side comprising the cream of the schoolboy athletes at that time.

Some among them were Nihals own schoolmates, Gordon Dissanayake and Shelton Pietersz (St. Benedicts), Bruno and Piyadasa Fernando (St. Xaviers, Marawila), Leslie Lokubalasuriya (Maris Stella), Guy Fernando (St. Mary’s, Chillaw), R. Wijeyratne (St. John’s, Nugegoda), W.A. Jayatileke (St. Aloysius’, Ratnapura), Stanley Thabrew (Wadduwa MMV), P.H.D. Waidyatileke (Nalanda), Priya Lecamwasam and Rohan Daluwatta (Ananda).

Most of us in the Gazelles team represented the senior team also and in the senior side, Nihal jumped in the company of Nagalingam Ethirveerasingham, first gold medallist at the Asian Games. Nihal had a personal best of 6ft. 3ins. in the High Jump, a feat which he achieved at the Government Services championships, representing the Colombo Municipality.

Both of us were selected to represent the Ceylon AAA Secretary’s team against the visiting Pakistan University team in a dual meet which was held at St. Peter’s College Grounds at Bambalapitiya.

Although he was from Mutwal, he stayed with his uncle at Baseline Road and we used to go to his place and joined him to go for practices.

But his forte was cricket and was known as a fiery left-arm fast bowler who used his height to get maximum bounce and movement. I can still remember how he and Nihal Amerasinghe ran through our batting at the Bens-Peterite match of 1960, played at Bambalapitiya.

Bens were led by another leading cricketer and my friend, Elmo Rodrigopulle, well-known sports journalist. Nihal played for N.C.C. under the then Ceylon skipper, Michael Tissera, Nomads under another shrewed leader, D.H. De Silva and Adastrians. Nihal played in the second limited over match played by Ceylon and captained by Stanley Jayasinghe and opened bowling with Mevan Peiris.

He was a fine gentleman and a sincere friend.

May he Rest in Peace.

DUNSTAN FERNANDO