Cricketer Vijaya Malalasekera’s funeral today

• Will be remembered more as an administrator than a cricketer 

Corporate leader Vijaya Malalasekera who died on Saturday at the age of 76 was renowned as a hard-hitting batsman for Royal College, Colombo, Cambridge University and NCC, but more than his cricket where he gained more plaudits was as a cricket administrator.

In the one year he was interim Committee Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket from March 2001, Malalasekera kept the administration free of politics which earned him great admiration. He headed the committee that also comprised Michael Tissera, Sidath Wettimuny, Ashantha de Mel and Kushil Gunasekara.

“The entire Sri Lankan set up actually understood that there was no political interference coming when he was in charge because he had already got that assurance from President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga,” said Kushil Gunasekara who served as Secretary during the Malalasekera administration. 

“That went across the entire Sri Lanka cricket administration. From that perspective Vijaya was a very straight forward, upright and forthright person to deal with, and discipline was the core. It was a pleasure to work for him as secretary. It is the type of personality Sri Lanka Cricket is missing today.”

“Vijaya was a top-class administrator, one whom you can work with because he introduced corporate governance, practice areas and a no nonsense type. That is a result of us winning 10 consecutive Test matches under Sanath Jayasuriya which is still a record. He was brave and courageous and he used to play by the rules and carry out in a professional manner. He always had those good qualities of governance,” Gunasekara said.

Former Sri Lanka captain Michael Tissera who was a member of Malalasekera’s interim committee said: “As a person he was a super chap there’s no question about it. He was a hard hitting batsman who batted no. 5 or 6 for us at NCC and he could bowl a bit of off-spin as well. He was a useful member of the side at that time. Soon after school he went to Cambridge University and by the time he came back I didn›t think he was that good to play for Sri Lanka.”

Another committee member Sidath Wettimuny said: “He was a fabulous administrator who knew how to motivate and get the best from all of us and was very supportive of his team. A lovely man, I enjoyed his company. Cricket did very well during his period. I cannot recollect seeing him play. He went to Cambridge and that may have disrupted his cricket. A big loss for Sri Lanka cricket.”

Sri Lanka Cricket in a condolence message said: “Sri Lanka Cricket remembers well the contribution late Mr. Malalasekera made towards promoting the game during his time as the Chairman of the Interim Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket. It is the contributions made by such gentlemen which have helped Sri Lanka Cricket’s forward journey.”

From Royal College, Malalasekera left to England to study law and while studying at Cambridge he played first-class cricket for Cambridge University from 1966-68 making 27 appearances. In the 1967 University match against Oxford, Malalasekera opened the batting with fellow Sri Lankan Mano Ponniah, with the pair becoming the first Asians to open the batting for Cambridge in the Varsity match.

On his return to Sri Lanka he joined Ceylon Tobacco Company in 1973 and remained with them until his retirement in 2005. His funeral takes place at the Borella cemetery today. (ST)