SSC honours a stalwart, the late Michael de Zoysa

SSC President Tommy Ellawala declares open the Michael de Zoysa Indoor Cricket Nets at the SSC, unveiling a plaque in the presence of Manique de Zoysa, wife of the late Michael de Zoysa.

• Indoor Cricket Nets opened in tribute

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

One of Singhalese Sport Club’s (SSC) long-standing stalwarts, the late Michael de Zoysa, was honoured when the club opened an indoor cricket nets named after him at the club premises at Maitland Place on Wednesday.

Present among the distinguished gathering was the late Michael de Zoysa’s wife Manique. Their two daughters Lara, from the UK, and Natasha, from Australia, joined the function on zoom.   

Tracing Michael’s association with SSC, the club president Tommy Ellawala, who declared open the Michael de Zoysa Indoor Cricket Nets, said: “Michael joined this club almost 45 years ago and remained a member of the club until his untimely and sudden demise. His passion was cricket, and he did a great deal for SSC cricket during his years with the club. One of his main contributions to SSC cricket was his capacity to recruit young schoolboy cricketers with talent to join SSC and play. He did this very successfully – even no lesser person than Arjuna Ranatunga was recruited by Michael to play as a schoolboy for the SSC. The rest about Arjuna is history. Many such recruits that Michael brought to SSC ended up playing cricket for the club, and some for the national sides, and accomplished themselves as good and great cricketers.

“Michael pioneered a resolution to establish a cricketers’ dormitory within the club premises taking care of young cricketers mostly from the outstation school sector. He was one of the founders of the SSC School of Cricket, which is now referred to as the SSC Cricket Academy, where young boys are being coached by accredited coaches. Today we have more than 150 students at the cricket academy in the age groups of 8 to 18.

“Another aspect of Michael’s commitment to SSC cricket was that he was highly concerned about developing spectator capacity on our grounds, and when Arpico Finance came up with a handsome donation to put up a cricket stadium and a pavilion two years ago Michael supervised and managed the construction of the pavilion which is today an imposing structure.

“Further to that he was always concerned about improving and upgrading the SSC cricket facilities. He improved the club’s practice wicket capabilities by developing three practice wickets behind the scoreboard. These wickets are mostly being hired by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and is a source of earning to the club’s cricket section. In the last 15 years when Michael became the ground secretary, he upgraded a lot of areas, particularly the club’s somewhat weak drainage system to make it one of the finest cricket playing grounds in the country, and a lot of that is owed to Michael’s endeavours and commitment.  Michael’s work is today continued by Mahinda Halangoda our ground secretary. He has also at various times played various roles at SLC, and he also was the national team’s manager. All this brought credit and recognition to the club. This is why SSC decided to recognise Michael in the way we have done today,” concluded Ellawala.

Former Sri Lanka and SSC captain Mahela Jayawardene, who is the present SSC Cricket House Committee Chairman, speaking on a selected topic ‘Michael, Cricket and SSC’ said: “I got to know Michael when I joined the club in 1996 soon after school. Michael joined SSC in 1974 and the rumour is that he joined the club not for cricket but for the fairer sex who were swimming in the swimming pool. I am glad we had a swimming pool otherwise we would have lost Michael to a different club.

“He has held various posts at SSC but one which opened my eyes was when he was one time coach at SSC. I don’t know how that happened, but I do feel for the captain whoever it was in that side, knowing Michael who was our manager for the national team 4-5 years, and what we had to go through with him. He always had a routine whenever he came to the club, he had to pick a fight. He always had a fight with the captain, the coach, cricket house committee, anyone to make sure that everyone was up to the mark and everyone understood what SSC was all about. Michael made us laugh on the ground and made us laugh in the pavilion. Michael is best remembered for his famous saying ‘C’mon SSC wrap it up’. The next generation of cricketers will miss Michael because he was something special.”      

Kitto Dias, member of SSC and schoolmate who played rugby with Michael at St. Thomas’ College Mt. Lavinia and won colours, said that Michael and SSC were synonymous and he was truly a supporter of the club and part of the furniture.

A poignant moment as Manique de Zoysa  touches the plaque displaying the photograph of her late husband.  

SSC Cricket House Committee Chairman Mahela Jayawardene and Manique de Zoysa after the opening of the Michael de Zoysa Indoor Cricket Nets.