Galle’s cricketing icon Warnaweera dies at 64

Friday, 17 October 2025 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Jayananda Warnaweera (right) presenting Muttiah Muralitharan with a token on

his achievement of taking 800 Test wickets

Former Sri Lanka Test cricketer and former curator of the Galle International Cricket Stadium Jayananda Warnaweera died at the age of 64 yesterday.

Warnaweera was a stalwart of cricket in Galle where he first dominated as a bowler and after retirement as the curator of the famous Galle International Cricket Stadium which he treated as his second home. It was Warnaweera who introduced the covering of the entire cricket ground during bad weather for international matches during his tenure as curator. He was very supportive of the national players and was always ready to oblige them with whatever assistance they sought from him regarding pitches, weather conditions etc. Under his supervision the Galle wicket turned out to be spinners paradise and Sri Lanka became unbeatable at home.

Warnaweera bowled right-arm medium-pace and then reverted to bowling off-breaks which at times raised doubts about his action, but nevertheless he went onto play in 10 Tests between 1986 and 1994 taking 32 wickets at an average of 31.90 and in 6 ODIs. He played a significant role in Sri Lanka’s series wins at home against New Zealand in 1992 and England in 1993 taking 9 wickets (avg. 23.22) and 8 wickets (avg. 23.50) respectively. He was a prolific wicket-taker for Galle CC in the domestic circuit especially in 1990 when he was the leading wicket-taker with 71 (avg 13.47) – 28 more than any other bowler in the Lakspray Trophy tournament. He also achieved his career best bowling in first-class cricket the same season with a match bag of 13/147 against BRC and an innings best of 7/16 against Air Force. He also served as a member of the interim committee headed by Sidath Wettimuny.

His term as chief curator at Galle ended in November 2015 when he was first suspended by Sri Lanka Cricket and subsequently by the ICC for failing to co-operate with the Anti-Corruption Unit. Since then Warnaweera has resided at Katugastota. He is survived by his wife and son. The funeral is expected to take place on Saturday at the Mahaiyawa General Cemetery. (ST)