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.
In the fifth T20I in Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand last year, the hosts had been dismissed for 92 chasing 135 in Christchurch. In the first T20I of this five-match series, that was a winning total for New Zealand after Kyle Jamieson and Jacob Duffy took apart a new-look Pakistan side.
The dropping of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan signalled that Pakistan were trying to step out of their comfort zone in T20 cricket, which is broadly very good. But on Sunday, they saw the risks that also come with it as they were bundled out for 91, their lowest total in New Zealand and their fifth-lowest in the format.
The Black Caps followed the WhiteFerns in bringing up comprehensive victories on a double-header day in Christchurch as Jamieson and Duffy shared seven wickets between them, the bounce they were able to generate being too much for the Pakistan batters.
Jamieson, back in the T20I set up for the first time in nearly two years, set the tone for New Zealand with a wicket maiden, Mohammad Haris only able to help a short ball behind to wicketkeeper Mitch Hay.
Debutant Hasan Nawaz then got a leading edge off Duffy to Jamieson at deep third as Pakistan lost both openers without a run on the board. This was only the second time both Pakistan openers were dismissed for ducks.
Jamieson then had Irfan Khan edging behind in the third over as Pakistan slumped to 1 for 3 – their lowest score at the fall of the third wicket.
Tim Robinson then evoked rather fresh memories of Glenn Phillips from the Champions Trophy as he took a blinder at backward point to give Jamieson his third, with the scoreboard reading 11 for 4.
Pakistan were restricted to 14 for 4 in the powerplay, and it could have gotten worse immediately afterwards, but Tim Seifert dropped Khushdil Shah at point off the captain Michael Bracewell.
Agha then looked to drive a full ball from Zakary Foulkes the next over, only to get an edge but Daryl Mitchell shelled the chance in the slip cordon.
Agha and Khushdil used their second lives to arrest Pakistan’s free-fall. They finally looked to up the tempo in the tenth over, when Agha reverse-swept Ish Sodhi for four behind point and Khushdil smacked him over midwicket for Pakistan’s first six.
In the next over, Khushdil took Bracewell on for back-to-back sixes to try and put some pressure back on the bowlers. But it was a very short-lived phase of ascendancy for Pakistan.
Agha tried another reverse-sweep off Sodhi’s next ball, but he could only pick out deep backward point. Duffy was brought back into the attack for an over, and the move paid dividends as Khushdil slapped a short ball to backward point. Pakistan were 64 for 6 after 13.
Debutant Abdul Samad and Jahandad Khan then fell trying to play big shots before Duffy returned in the penultimate over to take the last two wickets, picking up from where he left off in the T20I series against Sri Lanka where he finished as the highest wicket-taker
Pakistan’s 91 is the fourth-lowest T20I score by any team in New Zealand.
After playing out the first over, Seifert got New Zealand going with a pull through midwicket off debutant Mohammad Ali. He then picked up three boundaries off Shaheen Afridi’s next over, including another pull in front of square.
Seifert gave the charge to Ali to pick up another boundary, before getting two off Jahandad’s first over, and the fifth of the innings. Finn Allen, largely a spectator until then, also joined the party as he lofted Jahandad down the ground for the first six of the chase.
Pakistan switched to spin and Seifert welcomed Abrar Ahmed with a massive hit over long-off. Abrar got the better of him with a carrom ball that Haris did well to hold on to behind the stumps off the bottom edge, but New Zealand by then had effectively won the match in the two powerplays.
Allen hit another six and two fours, while Robinson also got a six to his name as New Zealand completed the chase just one ball after the halfway mark of the innings.
Brief scores:
New Zealand 92 for 1 in 10.1 overs (Tim Seifert 44, Finn Allen 29*, Tim Robinson 18*; Abrar Ahmed 1-15) beat Pakistan 91 in 18.4 overs (Salman Agha 18, Khushdil Shah 32, Jahandad Khan 17; Jacob Duffy 4-14, Kyle Jamieson 3-8, Zakarie Foulkes 1-11, Ish Sodhi 2-27) by nine wickets
[Cricinfo]
At the recently concluded International Schools Athletic Championship (ISAC), Lyceum International School Wattala emerged as champions. However, during the competition, a protest was lodged, alleging that one of Lyceum Wattala’s athletes was on the payroll of the Sri Lanka Army and, therefore, ineligible to participate in ISAC. Following an inquiry, the athlete was disqualified, and the points he had earned were deducted from the school’s total. By that time, he had already won gold medals in the Long Jump, Triple Jump, and 4x100m relay.
Lyceum Wattala has built a reputation for excelling in sports, but many attribute this success to its large-scale recruitment of athletes through scholarships. Notably, the two champion athletes of this year’s ISAC had previously represented other schools. Further inquiries have now revealed that another athlete, who competed for Lyceum Wattala at ISAC 2025 and secured the Under-20 Champion title by winning the 400m, 110m hurdles, and 4x400m relay, is also on the payroll of the Sri Lanka Army.
Unethical practices of this nature create an unhealthy competitive environment and discourage underprivileged schools, which struggle to retain their talent. Lyceum is not the only international school offering scholarships to top athletes; other international schools have also followed suit. One such leading institution, known for its strong academic results, has extended its scholarship program to sports, aggressively recruiting high-achieving students from other schools.
This school has reportedly granted scholarships to several students and even gone as far as providing free textbooks, exam fees, and opportunities for foreign travel.
Rather than nurturing homegrown talent, these international schools seem more focused on acquiring ready-made athletes from other institutions. The era of developing skilled players appears to be fading, as these schools increasingly prioritize assembling teams over fostering individual talents.
Strong all-round performances fromSuzie Bates and Brooke Halliday along with a breakout bowling display from Bree Illing helped New Zealand breeze to a seven wicket win against Sri Lanka in Christchurch to level the series at 1-1.
New Zealand’s bowlers set the tone with a frugal display after winning the toss and electing to bowl, restricting Sri Lanka to 113 for 7 in their 20 overs before Bates and Halliday made 47 and 46 not out respectively as the hosts cruised home with seven wickets and nine balls to spare. Bates was named player of the match after also bowling four overs for just 16 runs while Halliday also took 1 for 12 with the ball in addition to posting her highest T20I score.
Illing made use of the early morning start picking up a wicket in the opening over and a second in the seventh as she bowled straight with the new ball to finish with figures of 2 for 18 in just her second T20I after going wicketless in her debut in game one of the series on Friday
Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu was well held as Eden Carson, Jess Kerr and Bates were rotated at the other end with the latter bowling a maiden to Athapaththu in her first over. The scoreboard pressure told when Kerr castled her for 23 off 29 in the following over, the ninth of the innings, with Sri Lanka stalled at 3 for 46.
That soon became 4 for 53 when debutant Flora Devonshire picked up a wicket in her first over in international cricket.
Sri Lanka steadied thanks to a 54-run stand between Manudi Nanayakkara and Nilakshika Silva. Nanyakkara made 35 from 32 with four boundaries while Silva made 20 from 22. But neither player could break free as Bates bowled four overs for just 16 runs while Halliday also took a wicket in her two overs for 11 runs. Kerr took a wicket in the final over to finish with figures of 2 for 29.
New Zealand’s chase started poorly with Georgia Plimmer caught behind in the second over for just 4. Emma McLeod followed suit in the seventh over for a sluggish 11 from 13 but Bates controlled the chase at the other. Safe in the knowledge she needed less than a run-a-ball, she struck just four boundaries and only faced consecutive dot balls once in her 46-ball innings before she was caught and bowled in 15th over with 29 still needed to win.
Halliday ensured they were knocked off with ease striking multiple boundaries in both the 16th and 18th overs as she made 46 not out from 40 balls to steer her side home and go past her previous T20I best of 38.
The series will be decided in the third T20I in Dunedin on Tuesday.
Brief scores:
New Zealand Women 117 for 3 in 18.3 overs (Suzie Bates 47, Emma McLeod 11, Brooke Halliday 46*; Inoshi Priyadarshini 1-19, Sugandika Kumari 1-16, Achini Kulasuriya 1-11)beat Sri Lanka Women 113 for 7 in 20 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 23, Harshith Samarawickrema 11, Kavisha Dilhari 12, Manudi Nanyakkara 35, Nilakshika Silva 20; Bree Illing 2-18, Jess Kerr 2-29, Flora Devonshire 1-12, Brooke Halliday 1-11) by seven wickets
[Cricinfo]
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