Somachandra De Silva

One of Sri Lanka's finest legspinners, Somachandra De Silva was unfortunate that when Sri Lanka was granted full Test status he was at a stage when most players are well into retirement. He had been a fixture in the Sri Lanka team, and well respected throughout cricketing circles around the world, having played minor county cricket for Linconshire and Shropshire. With his flighted legbreaks and well disguised wrong 'uns, de Silva was a consistent wicket-taker throughout the 70s. In Sri Lanka's inaugural Test he captured 3 for 54 and 0 for 38, his first Test wicket being that of David Gower caught at the wicket by Mahes Goonatilleke. de Silva distinguished himself on the following tour to Pakistan, taking seventeen wickets in three Tests, including the first five-wicket haul by a Sri Lankan when he took 5 for 59 at Faisalabad. When Duleep Mendis was injured early on the 1982-83 tour of New Zealand, de Silva was handed the honour of leading Sri Lanka in two Tests. With the bat, he was more than useful making two half centuries, both as captain. He maintained his prominence within the game, later coaching Sri Lanka. He was later appointed cricket advisor by the Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa in December 2007 to promote the game in the country's war-hit northern areas. In 2009 De Silva was appointed chairman of a seven-member interim committee to run Sri Lanka Cricket by sports minister Gamini Lokuge.
Johann P Jayasekera (March 2009)