Anura Tennekoon
Encyclopedia
Anura Tennekoon is a former cricket
er.and captain of the Sri Lanka national cricket team. He was educated at the S. Thomas' College in Mount Lavinia. After captaining the school team and being selected as best schoolboy batsman of the year, Tennekoon went on to play first-class cricket
for the Ceylon team (later Sri Lanka). He was regarded as an accomplished batsman. He made his ODI debut in 1975 against West Indies, leading Sri Lanka in the first Cricket World Cup of 1975. went on to lead them in the 1979 World Cup as well, although his participation was impeded by an injury during the tournament.
He was the chief executive of Sri Lanka Cricket
from 2000 to 2003, and is now a selector for the national team.
. At the age of six, he moved to Colombo
, and was admitted to S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia. Staying at the school hostel, Tennekoon was soon accustomed with cricket, and became part of the school cricket team. He eventually went on to captain the Thomian cricket team, and was chosen as Sri Lanka's best schoolboy batsman in 1964. He had had the best batting average
of 56.84 in the previous season, having scored a total of 513 runs
. He played his first first-class
match for Ceylon against an English side in 1966, and was later picked up by the Sinhalese Sports Club
(SSC). Tennekoon also played for the Ceylon Board President's XI. He made his career's highest score in a first class match against India in 1974, hitting an unbeaten 169. This is regarded as one of the best centuries scored by a Sri Lankan batsman before the country gained Test status.
of 1975
, during which he played his first three ODIs. The first match was played against the West Indies on 7 June 1975, ended in defeat for Sri Lanka who managed to score only 86 runs. Tennekoon too was unsuccessful in this match, having been caught by David Murray
off the bowling of Bernard Julien
without scoring. The Sri Lankan team played their second match of the tournament against Australia on 11 June 1975. They lost the match, but Tennekoon was more successful this time – he scored 48 runs off 71 deliveries
, before being bowled
out by Ian Chappell
just two runs short of his double century
. According to the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
, Tennekoon and teammate Michael Tissera
batted without being intimidated by the Australian fast bowling attack despite two of their teammates having to retire after being injured. Sri Lanka's third and last match in the tournament was against Pakistan on 14 June 1975. Tennekoon made 30 runs for his team, but Pakistan easily defeated Sri Lanka.
Tennekoon's fourth and final ODI was against New Zealand
on 9 June 1979, as part of the 1979 Cricket World Cup
. He made the highest score and only half-century of his ODI career during this match, making 59 runs off 96 deliveries before being bowled out by Warren Stott
. Later, he damaged a hamstring during practices and could not play for the rest of the tournament. He was replaced as captain by Bandula Warnapura
. Sri Lanka received full member status of the International Cricket Council
in 1982, two years after Tennekoon's retirement. The achievements of Sri Lankan players like Tennekoon may have contributed to this.
. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Sri Lanka Cricket
, the governing body for cricket in Sri Lanka, in December 2000. He held the position until late 2003, when he resigned due to personal reasons. In 2009, Tennekoon was appointed to the selection committee for the national cricket team.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er.and captain of the Sri Lanka national cricket team. He was educated at the S. Thomas' College in Mount Lavinia. After captaining the school team and being selected as best schoolboy batsman of the year, Tennekoon went on to play first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
for the Ceylon team (later Sri Lanka). He was regarded as an accomplished batsman. He made his ODI debut in 1975 against West Indies, leading Sri Lanka in the first Cricket World Cup of 1975. went on to lead them in the 1979 World Cup as well, although his participation was impeded by an injury during the tournament.
He was the chief executive of Sri Lanka Cricket
Sri Lanka Cricket
Sri Lanka Cricket, formerly the Board for Cricket Control in Sri Lanka , is the controlling body for cricket in Sri Lanka. It operates the Sri Lankan cricket team and first-class cricket within Sri Lanka....
from 2000 to 2003, and is now a selector for the national team.
Personal life and early career
Anura Punchi Banda Tennekoon was born on 29 October 1949 in AnuradhapuraAnuradhapura
Anuradhapura, , is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic...
. At the age of six, he moved to Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, and was admitted to S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia. Staying at the school hostel, Tennekoon was soon accustomed with cricket, and became part of the school cricket team. He eventually went on to captain the Thomian cricket team, and was chosen as Sri Lanka's best schoolboy batsman in 1964. He had had the best batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of 56.84 in the previous season, having scored a total of 513 runs
Run (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a run is the basic unit of scoring. Runs are scored by a batsman, and the aggregate of the scores of a team's batsmen constitutes the team's score. A batsman scoring 50 or 100 runs , or any higher multiple of 50 runs, is considered a particular achievement...
. He played his first first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
match for Ceylon against an English side in 1966, and was later picked up by the Sinhalese Sports Club
Sinhalese Sports Club
The Sinhalese Sports Club is a first-class cricket club in Sri Lanka. Sinhalese is the most successful club in Sri Lankan domestic cricket, having won the Premier Trophy a record 30 times to 2008.-History:-Honours:...
(SSC). Tennekoon also played for the Ceylon Board President's XI. He made his career's highest score in a first class match against India in 1974, hitting an unbeaten 169. This is regarded as one of the best centuries scored by a Sri Lankan batsman before the country gained Test status.
International career
Tennekoon was the ninth ODI cap for Sri Lanka, and played four One Day International (ODI) matches, leading the Sri Lankan side in all of them. Tennekoon captained the Sri Lankan cricket team at the inaugural Cricket World CupCricket World Cup
The ICC Cricket World Cup is the premier international championship of men's One Day International cricket. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council , with preliminary qualification rounds leading up to a finals tournament which is held every four years...
of 1975
1975 Cricket World Cup
-Group B:-Knockout stage:-Semifinals:In the best World Cup performance to date by a bowler, Gary Gilmour took six wickets as England were bowled all out for 93 , after falling to 37/7...
, during which he played his first three ODIs. The first match was played against the West Indies on 7 June 1975, ended in defeat for Sri Lanka who managed to score only 86 runs. Tennekoon too was unsuccessful in this match, having been caught by David Murray
David Murray (cricketer)
David Anthony Murray is a former West Indian cricketer who played in nineteen Tests and ten ODIs from 1973 to 1982.Murray, a son of the great West Indian batsman Everton Weekes often courted controversy...
off the bowling of Bernard Julien
Bernard Julien
Bernard Denis Julien played 24 Tests and 12 One Day Internationals for the West Indies.He played in England for Kent and joined Packers World Series in 1977. He scored a century at Lords vs England in the 1973 test....
without scoring. The Sri Lankan team played their second match of the tournament against Australia on 11 June 1975. They lost the match, but Tennekoon was more successful this time – he scored 48 runs off 71 deliveries
Delivery (cricket)
A delivery or ball in cricket is a single action of bowling a cricket ball towards the batsman.During play of the game, a member of the fielding team is designated as the bowler, and bowls deliveries towards the batsman...
, before being bowled
Bowled
Bowled is a method of dismissing a batsman in the sport of cricket. This method of dismissal is covered by Law 30 of the Laws of cricket.A batsman is out bowled if his wicket is put down by a ball delivered by the bowler...
out by Ian Chappell
Ian Chappell
Ian Michael Chappell is a former cricketer who played for South Australia and Australia. He captained Australia between 1971 and 1975 before taking a central role in the breakaway World Series Cricket organisation...
just two runs short of his double century
Century (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a batsman reaches his century when he scores 100 or more runs in a single innings. The term is also included in "century partnership" which occurs when two batsmen add 100 runs to the team total when they are batting together. A century is regarded as a landmark score for...
. According to the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
, Tennekoon and teammate Michael Tissera
Michael Tissera
Michael Hugh Tissera is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who played three ODIs in 1975.He was educated at the prestigious S.Thomas College in Mount Lavinia where he captained the Thomian cricket team at the Royal Thomian Test series which is known as The Battle of the Blues on two occasions in 1957...
batted without being intimidated by the Australian fast bowling attack despite two of their teammates having to retire after being injured. Sri Lanka's third and last match in the tournament was against Pakistan on 14 June 1975. Tennekoon made 30 runs for his team, but Pakistan easily defeated Sri Lanka.
Tennekoon's fourth and final ODI was against New Zealand
New Zealand cricket team
The New Zealand cricket team, nicknamed the Black Caps, are the national cricket team representing New Zealand. They played their first in 1930 against England in Christchurch, New Zealand, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. It took the team until 1955–56 to win a Test, against the...
on 9 June 1979, as part of the 1979 Cricket World Cup
1979 Cricket World Cup
The 1979 Cricket World Cup was the second edition of the tournament and was won by the West Indies. It was held from June 9 to June 23, 1979 in England. The format had remained unchanged from 1975. Eight countries participated in the event. The preliminary matches were played in 2 groups of 4...
. He made the highest score and only half-century of his ODI career during this match, making 59 runs off 96 deliveries before being bowled out by Warren Stott
Warren Stott
Leslie Warren Stott, born in Rochdale, Lancashire, England on 8 December 1946, was a cricketer who played one One Day International for New Zealand in 1979....
. Later, he damaged a hamstring during practices and could not play for the rest of the tournament. He was replaced as captain by Bandula Warnapura
Bandula Warnapura
Bandula Warnapura is a former cricketer and captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team. He played 4 Test matches and 12 One Day Internationals during his international cricketing career from 1975 to 1982...
. Sri Lanka received full member status of the International Cricket Council
International Cricket Council
The International Cricket Council is the international governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from England, Australia and South Africa, renamed the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and took up its current name in 1989.The...
in 1982, two years after Tennekoon's retirement. The achievements of Sri Lankan players like Tennekoon may have contributed to this.
Cricket administration
After his retirement from the game, Tennekoon has functioned as the manager of the Sri Lanka A cricket teamSri Lanka A cricket team
The Sri Lanka A cricket team is a national cricket team representing Sri Lanka. It is the 'second-tier' of international Sri Lankan cricket, below the full Sri Lanka national cricket team. Matches played by Sri Lanka A are not considered to be Test matches or One Day Internationals, instead...
. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Sri Lanka Cricket
Sri Lanka Cricket
Sri Lanka Cricket, formerly the Board for Cricket Control in Sri Lanka , is the controlling body for cricket in Sri Lanka. It operates the Sri Lankan cricket team and first-class cricket within Sri Lanka....
, the governing body for cricket in Sri Lanka, in December 2000. He held the position until late 2003, when he resigned due to personal reasons. In 2009, Tennekoon was appointed to the selection committee for the national cricket team.