The Ceylon Hockey Federation (CHF) broke fresh ground when for the first time a Federation team travelled beyond South India for a tour of New Delhi and the Punjab State. This was the third official visit of a Ceylon team, the first two being in 1953 and 1957, to South India.
This tour of the Punjab had added significance in the fact that our team was seeking to gain experience in the deepest Indian hockey preserves and also to test its strength against the glamour teams of north India.
We are greatly indebted to the Punjab Farmers’ Sports Association who were generous enough to sponsor this tour on their own account on Indian territory.
The contingent was chosen after a series of trials and matches against Associations and the ‘Corera Cup’ series versus Madras HA in December 1958.
One may safely state that the invitation could well be the best thing to have happened to Ceylon Hockey in recent years; for the experience gained from this tour would be a decisive factor in our efforts to compete in the international areas.
It must be said to the credit of the heads of the Mercantile establishments and Government Service, who rallied around the cause of the CHF and granted the players a month’s full paid duty leave. Furthermore during the tour, when the need arose for an additional 10 days extension, the additional leave was readily given with the support of our High Commissioner in India, Sir Richard Aluwihare, who personally contacted all concerned.
The team left the Fort railway station by the Indo-Ceylon Express on January 14, 1959 and was seen off by the president of the Sri Lanka Air Force (hockey) WR Chanmugam, Hony Secretary TMN Mahamooth, Hony Treasurer SMS Sabreen, officials and a large gathering of well-wishers.
The contingent was as follows: Goalkeepers- Fredrick White (vice captain), K Tharmarajan; Backs – Tony S Adahan, Pius Nanayakkara, DD Abeysekera; Halves – A. Mylvaganam (captain), Dennis de Rosayro, PA Hettiaratchi, JD Bosco; Forwards – Herbert Wijekoon, Ivan de Kretser, Douglas Wijekoon, GH Jayatissa, LP Rayen, V Rajaratnam, K Chandrasena and manager Walter Jayasuriya.
Our first match was played against the Itarsi HA on January 18 at the Mahatma Gandhi Stadium on a dusty clay ground after four days of train travel. We were very unlucky to lose this match 2-1. De Rosayro was injured in the second half.
The winning goal was scored two minutes before the final whistle. A crowd of over 5,000 watched this match.
Team – White, Adahan, Nanayakkara, De Rosayro, Mylvaganam, Hettiaratchi, Jayatissa, D Wijekoon, H Wijekoon, De Kretser and Rayen.
We played our second tour match versus the Combined Bhopal Colleges on January 21 at the Alabagh Stadium and won 5-1, leading 2-1 at half time. We played very well, being more at home, with conditions underfoot. The match was watched by a large and distinguished gathering, including the Finance Minister and the Maharanee of Bhopal.
Team - White, Abeysekera, Adahan, Bosco, Mylvaganam, Hettiaratchi, Jayatissa, D Wijekoon, H Wijekoon, De Kretser and Rayen.
The third match was played on January 22 against the Indore District at the Daly College Ground. This was a very exciting match, ending in a goalless draw. Hettiaratchi was injured 20 minutes before full time and took no further part in the game.
Team - White, Abeysekera, Adahan, De Rosayro, Mylvaganam, Hettiaratchi, Jayatissa, D Wijekoon, H Wijekoon, De Kretser and Rayen.
The fourth match was against the Jhanshi District HA on January 24 at Jhanshi, that well known hockey centre of old and the home of the famous Jhanshi heroes, Dhyan Chand and his younger brother Roop Singh.
This match too ended in a nil-all draw with Douglas Wijekoon hitting the crossbar twice. Dhyan Chand who came out of retirement to captain the team, attracted more than 10,000 adoring fans and displayed moments of wizardry, although past his prime.
He made the following remarks after the game: “There was a lot of improvement in the game displayed by the Ceylon hockey team.
I have observed their nice stick and team work, with swift and active movements. About five years back when I witnessed their games during my last Ceylon tour, with the Southern Command hockey team, their game was not up to the average. Most of the present team players are quite young and if they continue such performances, they will surely improve their game to international levels.”
He also ranked Ceylon No. 5 in the world along with England, Malaya and some continental countries, after India, Pakistan, East Germany and Holland.
Their veteran star, the ageless skipper at 37, A. Mylvaganam, modelled his play on the lines of the Indian technique of scoops and pushes and represented the island since 1947. His mates, wing halves De Rosayro and Hettiaratchi, both aged 21 were fast learners. Fred White the vice captain was recognised as probably the best Goal Keeper in Asia.
Team - White, Abeysekera, Adahan, De Rosayro, Mylvaganam, Bosco, Jayatissa, D Wijekoon and H Wijekoon, De Kretser and Rayen.
We arrived in Delhi on January 23. On the following day, the ‘Times of India’ reported: “A sixteen member Ceylon CF team who are on a tour of India are in Delhi for their engagement in Delhi and Punjab. The team is captained by A Mylvaganam and accompanied by that popular sports official of the island Walter Jayasuriya.
“Jayasuriya and his team have already done well, winning at Bhopal and drawing with two very strong outfits. The manager Walter Jayasuriya for whom this is the third official visit to this country, thinks highly of the young outfit. We are on a learning mission he frankly said on arrival in Delhi and hopes the team will vastly benefit from this tour.
“The Ceylonese who are used to playing on soft turf did not find the hard clay surface of Itarsi, where they played the first game, to their liking. Even so they did well to lose by 1 goal to 2 against an experienced team, the winning goal scored in the closing minutes.”
“In their next game against a very talented Combined Bhopal Colleges team, the visitors found their true touch and won 5-1 with Herbert and Douglas Wijekoon sharing the honours. They then held the Indore Select XI to a goalless draw.”
The fifth match was played against the Meerut District XI at the Meerut Stadium. The match ended in a 1-1 draw. We might have won this match if a penalty bully was converted. Herbert Wijekoon was injured five minutes after half time and had to leave the field.
Team - White, Abeysekera, Adahan, De Rosayro, Mylvaganam, Hettiaratchi, Jayatissa, D Wijekoon, H Wijekoon, De Kretser and Rayen.
From Meerut we travelled to Bijnor the next day, a distance of about 100 miles to play our sixth match against the Bijnor District XI which we lost 1-0.
We again were unlucky, missing two easy chances of scoring and a penalty bully in the early part of the game.
Team - Tharmarajah, Abeysekera, Adahan, De Rosayro, Mylvaganam, Hettiaratchi, Rajaratnam, Jayatissa, D. Wijekoon, De Kretser and Rayen.
Our seventh match was played against Gurgeon District on February 2 at the Nehru Stadium.
Sir Richard Aluwihare travelled a distance of 60 miles to be the chief guest at this match. We won 2-0, leading 1-0 at half time. Third time we were lucky with Hettiaratchi scoring off a penalty bully.
Team - Tharmarajah, Abeysekera, Adahan, De Rosayro, Mylvaganam, Hettiaratchi, Rajaratnam, Jayatissa, D. Wijekoon, Chandrasena and Rayen.
(With excerpts from tour report by the manager late Walter Jayasuriya and the Indian print media)
To be continued