Sports
“A Doyen of Sri Lanka Hockey”
“Just call me DENNIS” a retrospective on Hockey in Sri Lanka will be launched on the 13 of February.
On Saturday the 13th of February the Book – “Just call me DENNIS” a retrospective on Hockey in Sri Lanka will be launched at the BRC, Havelock Park, Colombo 05, organized by the Mercantile Hockey Association.
Dennis a doyen of hockey in Sri Lanka has served the sport at it its best and leaves a legacy to inspire a generation of future hockirites.
Double International Chandra Schaffter in his message, mentions “There is nobody connected with the game of hockey as I have known it over the past 60 years who contributed more towards this than my friend Dennis De Rosayro. Dennis rose high in the ranks of club hockey players and is one to be respected.”
The book captures the interesting feats of hockey greats and wizards of the sticks in a pictorial story having played against immortal legends like Dhyan Chand, Balbir Singh and Leslie Claudias. Records on Sri Lanka games with Olympic teams and the Asian circuit. The inaugural Hockey Nationals and its history to date is useful material for the future custodians of the game in the country.
HE represented Sri Lanka in the Corera Cup, which was virtually an annual tournament between Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu and Bangalore states. This was the level of Sri Lanka hockey then.
After having retired as Shipping Manager after a 40 year stint with Heath & Company, Dennis also served with the Janashakthi Group and into full retirement from Idac (Pvt)Ltd.
83-year-old Dennis, a doyen of the sport was the President of the Mercantile HA from 1978 to 2007 and still going strong, was the first captain of hockey at St. Benedict’s College in 1954. He played for BRC from 1954 to 1978 and All-Ceylon as a schoolboy against the Indian Olympic team in 1960 and against Pakistan in 1961, having represented Ceylon before in 1955. He was also a member of the Colombo Malay Cricket Club hockey team that toured South India, the first overseas hockey tour by a club in 1971 which comprised of some hockey greats. Serves currently as the Patron of the Burgher Recreation Club and an Honorary Life Member of the Mercantile Hockey Association.
His involvement with the game did not end when he retired as a competitive player, instead he continued to coach and or manage the BRC, MHA, CHA and Sri Lanka teams. Dennis goal was to give back to the sport he so loved so much. Numerous students have attested that Dennis has shaped their work ethic. His life and work were an example to the youngsters, many of whom would go on to achieve great things.
The book relates interesting anecdotes of his career. One of the highlights of his college career came about when he led the college team that played a hockey match against the prestigious Burgher Recreation Club(BRC) team in 1954. The BRC team had seven players who had international experience, including Asia’s Best Goalie, Freddy White, as well as Hugh Aldons and Ivan De Krester, all of whom captained Sri Lanka in later years. The accomplish team was unable to beat the school team and the match ended in a 4-all draw. Young Dennis surpassed all expectations netting the ball three times against this star team that day.
Captaining and coaching the Colombo Hockey Association(CHA) team in their tours to participate in the All-India invitation tournaments in late 60’s and early 70’s, he recalls the “Father of Hockey” the late Mr. Walter Jayasuriya who Managed the team.
Former Sri Lanka Hockey Captain Subash Fernando of Old Bens fame quotes – ” I know Stanley(Fernando) was trying his best to emulate you and I followed him. You were one of the greatest and stylish players I have ever seen. Unfortunately, we played on opposite sides. But you will not know how much we adored you as a hockey player and most importantly as s good citizen. If we had not seen you play, I do not think we would have reached half the standards we did. “
A legend by no means in the field of hockey in Sri Lanka, has dedicated a life time to the sport he so cherished. A strong believer of performance with integrity. During Sri Lanka’s historical tour between December 1959 and February 1960 to South and North India, ‘Dhayan Chand’, famously known as the ‘best ever player’, and his equally famed younger brother ‘Roop Singh’, came out of retirement to play for Jhanshi District Hockey Association. Their match against Ceylon drew over 10,000 fans. The Ceylon Captain Mylvaganam magnanimously asked Dennis to toss the coin and play center half in the match, which ended in a nil-all draw. After the match Dhayan ranked Ceylon about No. 05, in the world after India. Pakistan, East Germany and Holland, along with England and Malaysia and some continental countries.
The first book of its kind of Sri Lanka Hockey compiled provides readers with some in depth history of hockey in Sri Lanka, twisted with some hockey anecdotes to indulge in interesting reading. The book about Dennis and his adventourous journey in parallel captures periods the time the game was held in high esteem in the country and its formal administration to its current status. Sri Lanka having once enjoyed the position of third challenger in the Asian region to India and Pakistan was highly respected hockey playing nation then. Of course, the course of the game has changed with time, however India and Pakistan continue their challenging positions in the world. The game is continued to be played widely in the country.
Say’s Dennis; ” I wish to a leave a legacy for the nation on which future building blocks could be explicitly planned to bring back the glory of the game once enjoyed as a nation and slot Sri Lanka back as a challenger once more”.
Dennis has contributed his skill and talent for the benefit of the nation, a true son of Sri Lanka. The Book ‘Just call me Dennis” is a chronicle of this episode.
This series picks up from Bangladesh’s finest red-ball hour against arguably Pakistan’s bleakest one. Two years ago, Bangladesh came to Pakistan with six away Test wins in their history, and increased that tally by two in two weeks. Pakistan had never lost a Test to Bangladesh before that, but during late summer 2024 in Rawalpindi, a page turned in their cricketing relations.
This time around, the series takes place at an odd, off-kilter time. Neither side has played any Test cricket in six months, with Bangladesh’s last series a straightforward home wipeout of Ireland. Pakistan hosted South Africa in October, splitting the two Tests down the middle. This is the only red-ball international cricket Pakistan have played in 14 months.
Pakistan have filled that time going all in on T20 cricket, preparing for the recent T20 World Cup, before throwing themselves into a full PSL season. There will be just four days between the end of the PSL and the first day in Mirpur.
Bangladesh, meanwhile, have endured a more barren time. They refused to travel to India for the T20 World Cup and that has meant their only international cricket all year was an ODI series against Pakistan and New Zealand’s visit for a white-ball series [ODIs and T20Is]. Wins in all three mean they have a perfect record in international series in 2026 – a record that Pakistan will hope to put to a sterner test than they managed two years ago.
In 2024, Bangladesh’s seam attack outshone Pakistan’s, with Hasan Mahmud and Taskin Ahmed’s movement, and Nahid Rana’s rapid pace, causing more trouble than their Pakistani counterparts. If anything, Rana is in even better form, cutting Pakistan down in the sides’ ODI series, before shining in the recent PSL final for Zalmi, for which the BCB granted him special permission. Bangladesh’s four-man pace attack also includes Shoriful Islam and Ebadot Hossain, alongside Rana and Taskin, and could pose its own challenges against Pakistan.
Pakistan may hope the pitches allow a spin-bowling face-off instead. Soon after Bangladesh’s humbling of Pakistan in that 2024 series, Pakistan volte-faced from playing an all-seam attack in the first Test. Instead, their pitches assisted spin from ball one. To exploit that, Sajid Khan and Noman Ali have run riot on accommodating surfaces. If Mirpur offers assistance for the spinners, Pakistan will feel confident they have the personnel to go toe-to-toe with the hosts.
Mushfique Rahim struck a century in his 100th Test, against Ireland in November last year. He will take fresh guard against Pakistan, despite speculation about his impending retirement. Mushfiqur has resisted being pushed towards the end unless he wants to. His 191 against Pakistan in Rawalpindi was a testament to his hunger for runs, as was his celebration during this milestone 100th Test against Ireland. Mushfiqur remains a vital cog in the Bangladesh middle-order. Pakistan will be wary of him, particularly in Dhaka.
Sajid Khan has found his international opportunities limited to home Tests, but this wasn’t always the case. His first six Test matches all took place away from home, with his finest away moment coming in Bangladesh, at this very ground in Mirpur. With rain laying waste to the best part of three days of that Test, Sajid wrenched the game from the clutches of the weather. He took eight wickets in Bangladesh’s first innings, to bowl them out for 87, and narrowly force a follow-on. Four more in the second innings saw Bangladesh bowled out on the fifth evening, giving Pakistan a sensational innings win. This series is perhaps Sajid’s best chance to demonstrate he remains useful outside Pakistan.
Bangladesh are likely to bring in Taskin Ahmed and Nahid Rana in place of Khaled Ahmed and Hasan Murad, respectively. Shoriful Islam’s white-ball form would put pressure on Ebadot Hossain’s place.
Pakistan have been dealt a blow with Babar Azam* ruled out of the opening Test due to a left knee injury. His absence leaves a hole which is likely to be filled in by a debutant. The visitors will likely go in with two spinners in Sajid and Noman, which leaves them a choice of two of four fast bowlers. With Imam-ul-Haq back in the side, Pakistan are expected to hand a debut to one of Azan Awais and Abdullah Fazal at the top of the order.
Bangladesh (probable): Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana
Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Fazal/Azan Awais, Shan Masood (capt), Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Amad Butt, Shaheen Afridi, Noman Ali, Khurram Shahzad/Hasan Ali, Sajid Khan
[Cricinfo]
Lucknow Super Giants’ (LSG) much-vaunted pace attack applied the skids on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a banana-peel clash at the Ekana Stadium. They successfully defended 219 in a rain-truncated 19-overs-a-side contest three nights after 228 didn’t seem anywhere enough against Mumbai Indians.
The orchestrator-in-chief was Mitchell Marsh, who converted his second fifty-plus score of the season into a peerless 56-ball 111, setting up the defence on a surface that offered pace, bounce and carry.
Then, Prince Yadav used these elements as his ally to bowl a ball to Virat Kohli that will perhaps make the top-five deliveries of the season. When RCB’s chase truly kicked into gear courtesy of Rajat Patidar, Prince returned to dismiss Devdutt Padikkal and Jitesh Sharma within five deliveries to turn the game around.
Patidar’s dismissal three balls later, to end a six-fest, all but sealed LSG’s third win in ten matches that keeps them alive mathematically. RCB remained third on 12 points, only a superior net run rate separating them from Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans.
He manifests playing a World Cup with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. On Thursday night, he bowled a ball that would make the tournament reel and get the selectors interested, if they weren’t already.
A nip-backer at high pace whooshed past Kohli’s inside edge to splay his stumps. It was Kohli’s first IPL duck since 2023. This left RCB 9 for 2 after they had lost Jacob Bethell cheaply for a fourth game on the trot.
Between finishing his second over and returning for his third, the 11th of RCB’s chase, Prince may have felt a sense of deja vu. Three weeks ago, he finished with 2 for 25 off his full quota in an innings where LSG conceded 254 against Punjab Kings. Here, Patidar threatened an incredible jailbreak as he tore into Mayank Yadav and Digvesh Rathi to pummel a 26-ball half-century.
Patidar was particularly ferocious against Rathi, hitting him for 23 off six deliveries. After some early trouble against Mayank’s high-pace, he returned the favour by nonchalantly whipping and pulling him for sixes. From 60 for 2 in seven overs, RCB ransacked 44 off the next three when Rishabh Pant summoned Prince for a third.
He began by dismissing Padikkal caught and bowled, having deceived him with a slower ball that stuck into the surface. Three balls later, he sent a ripper of a bouncer that had the woefully out-of-form Jitesh top-edge a pull to Pant. Prince now had figures of 3 for 21.
In only his second game of the season, Shahbaz Ahmed made a compelling case to start in the line-up for the rest of LSG’s campaign. He had Patidar in his first over, followed by David for a 17-ball 40 in his third, just when RCB looked like they were looking to pull off a heist. The equation came down to 33 off 12 when Krunal Pandya, promoted ahead of Romario Shepherd, hit Mohammed Shami for back-to-back sixes. With 20 needed off 6, Rathi held his nerve and conceded just one boundary as LSG won by nine runs to arrest a six-match losing streak.
Injuries forced a series of changes for LSG. Amidst a revolving door of openers – this was their fifth new pairing – Marsh has been a constant through the ten games. Thursday’s was only his second fifty-plus score of the season. He made a half-century off 20 balls, and a century off 49 balls – the fastest yet for LSG since their inception – to set the game up.
Where Marsh flew, his new opening partner Arshin Kulkarni struggled. LSG were 95 for 0 in nine overs when rain briefly stopped play. Marsh’s onslaught against his Australia mate Josh Hazlewood – lofted through the line for two sixes in his very first over – was particularly intriguing during that passage. Kulkarni went into the break amid chatter of being retired out, but he returned and fell second ball after the resumption when he hit Krunal straight to cover for 17 off 23.
Marsh’s battle against Hazlewood may have been box office, but his attack against the others wasn’t any less thrilling. He pounced on anything short from the spinners – Suyash Sharma and Krunal. Ninety of his 111 came off boundaries, and he galloped to the landmark when he hit Shepherd for three fours in his only over.
Pant then ensured the perfect finish with a cameo 32 off 10, with the last three balls of the innings, from Rasikh Dar, getting taken apart for 4, 4, 6. LSG hit 64 off their last five, which eventually made a massive difference to the end result.
Brief scores:
Lucknow Super Giants 209 for 3 in 19 overs (Mitchell Marsh 111, Arshin Kulkarni 17, Nicholas Pooran 38, Rishabh Pant 32*; Josh Hazlewood 1-49, Krunal Pandya 1-31, Rasikh Salam 1-53) beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru 203 for 6 in 19 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 34, Rajat Patidar 61, Tim David 40, Krunal Pandya 28*, Romario Shepherd 23*; Mohammed Shami 1-33, Prince Yadav 3-33, Shahbaz Ahmed 2-33) by nine runs
[Cricinfo]
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