CMCC kicks-off 150th Anniversary with a series of sports events
19 March 2022
The celebrations continued throughout the day with a series of sports events to commemorate the historical significance of the event.
Sri Lanka’s oldest cricket club, CMCC was founded in 1872 after a historic cricket match was played between an All-Malay team of the Ceylon Rifle Regiment and a British Regimental team on 23rd March 1872. Consequently, the British Government gifted the Rifle Green Parade grounds in 1872 which led to the founding of the CMCC.
Cricket, sepak takraw and netball matches were played to mark the historic occasion with CMCC pitted against Army and Police teams.
According to a senior CMCC member, the significance of playing a cricket match against the Army was because of the historic encounter in 1872. The first sepak takraw match in Sri Lanka was played at the Padang in 1985. Playing a netball match against Police was because the then IGP (Inspector General of Police) MWF Abeykoon ceremonially declared open the Padang grounds in 1961.
Army won the 10-over cricket match by 66 runs after posting 156 for 7. Lakshan Edirisinghe smashed a 14-ball 43 (6×6 1×4), Bishan Mendis cracked an 18-ball 37 (4×6 4×4) and skipper Pathum Dilshan hit an 11-ball 24 (4×4 1×6). Southpaws Edirisinghe and Mendis also shared a second wicket stand of 43. CMCC were managed 90 for 5 in reply with Abishek Jayasuriya claiming 2 for 13.
Army also overwhelmed CMCC in the sepak takraw clash winning the best-of-three match 2-0 with scores of 15-8 16-14.
CMCC featured in a thrilling 11-11 draw in the netball match against Police after leading 5-4 at half time. Skipper Nauchali Rajapakse (Goal Keeper) a former national player, national poolist Malsha Ratnayake (Goal Attack) and under-21 Sri Lanka player Dilani Perera (Centre) were outstanding for CMCC. Skipper Dilki Emansha (Wing Defence), Rashmi Obeysekera (Goal Defence), Sumangala Sudarshani (Wing Attack), Lakshani Anuruddika (Centre) and Eshani Madushika (Goal Keeper) excelled for Police.
