Cricket at the Cinnamon Gardens – A throwback to the good old days

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Colombo Cricket Club
File photo of Colombo Cricket Club. © Getty

It’s all nice and cozy around the Cinnamon Gardens in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Just a little off the centre of Colombo, Cinnamon Gardens, which in the 18th century was home to close to 300 acres of cinnamon trees, now houses many prominent buildings and landmarks – a host of foreign embassies, educational institutions and government buildings.

Nestled among these are also the pillars of Sri Lankan cricket – The Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC), The Colombo Cricket Club (CCC) and the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC). The three clubs are just a stone’s throw away, or more relevantly, just a big six away from each other.

The mighty names from Sri Lanka cricket have been from here, with the odd exception. Kumar Sangakkara, Aravinda de Silva and Lasith Malinga, among others, played for NCC. SSC is almost synonymous now with Mahela Jayawardene, but it also has amongst its ranks Arjuna Ranatunga, Duleep Mendis and Roy Dias, currently coaching the U19 Sri Lanka team. Colombo Cricket Club, the oldest in the country, from whom Sanath Jayasuriya turned up, is an integral part of Sri Lankan cricket history, too.

The NCC and the CCC, the two clubs picked to host the league stage matches of the ACC Youth Asia Cup, are located just half a minute away from each other. They are two of the oldest clubs in Sri Lanka. And as much as their age – 300 combined years – indicates, watching cricket at either of the grounds is a throwback to the good old days.

Set amidst a ring of trees, the grounds are almost ideal for any cricket lover to sit back and enjoy a game. The clubs offer the more well-off the chance to sip a beer and have a meal as they watch the game, but there is plenty of space for all and sundry to watch the cricket.

Mr Ravi, an ardent cricket fan, is one amongst the many that don’t miss a match here. He is on leave from work for a few days, and he spends the day watching, talking and appreciating or dissing the game.

He knows the game well, too. “What has happened of Kuldeep Yadav,” he asks. “He had some great skill.”

The Colombo Cricket Club is one of the smallest grounds here, and it’s not surprising that there are no great seating facilities either. There is a seating gallery that can fit upto 500 fans just beside the members’ area, but there is plenty of open space and shade otherwise to make do.

The NCC’s club is well spaced out. It offers a lot of seats for the tired, and refreshments too. On the opening day, a Thursday, the match between Sri Lanka and Nepal saw the clubhouse filled to the brim with aficionados. There were people – young, old, boys, girls, and the atmosphere was quite special. A band at the other corner of the ground only added to the conviviality.

The cricket academy here is teeming with young boys wanting to take up the game. Sadly, there are no girl cricketers to be seen, but that’s a story for a different time.

They have the time to appreciate a good shot or a great ball, but are mostly indulged in their own shenanigans. A cricket match with an empty bottle of Coke and a balled-up handkerchief is quite the attraction. More people want to join in, still more want to watch the frivolity.

But as the game between Nepal and Sri Lanka reaches a crescendo, the boys turn cheerleaders and chants of ‘Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka’ egg their team on. It works, as the home team sneak in by one run.

The CCC offers a far more serene atmosphere. Home to Jayasuriya’s academy, it has hordes of boys, again no girls, playing at the nets. India’s first two games were held here, and were mostly watched with rapt attention by the boys. The picnic setting of the NCC is perhaps missing here, but the joy of watching.the game is still perhaps the same.

“Is that Rahul? Rahul Dravid, yeah.” A glimpse of the former India captain sets many minds racing back to the past. Sipping on their beers, the seniors at the CCC members area slowly digress into cricket’s glorious past. Dravid. VVS Laxman. Steve Waugh, and soon to their very own Aravinda, Dias, Jayawaedene. And no conversation is complete without how good Sangakkara was.

Kumar Sangakkara
© Cricbuzz

In the SLC office, a massive poster welcomes all. The poster is a collage of thousands of fans making up the face of Kumar Sangakkara. A man of the people. Sri Lanka’s very own. It has been signed by well wishers and sponsors alike, but the message seems to be consistent – ‘Sanga, we miss you’.

Watching the cricket has been a grand exercise, but amongst all this joy, there are still those who need to do their jobs.

Laxman de Silva is the Anti Corruption incharge here. And being the only media representative at the matches, it doesn’t take long for him to focus his gaze on me.

A friendly, yet testing interview ensues, and I’d like to think I’ve cleared it.

“It’s my job,” he says. “I have to ensure the kids don’t fall into the negative side of the game.”

A cursory glance at the cricket may point to all that’s good. Kids frolicking, wise-heads reminiscing, and people just spending a lazy afternoon away from home; but there is a lot more at stake. For the young cricketers, and for people like Laxman de Silva.