Former Antonian cricketer Merryl Dunuwille dies in LA

Kandy-born Merryl Dunuwille who played cricket for St Anthony’s College Katugastota with distinction passed away on Friday, April 10 in LA California at the age of 67.

Dunuwille was an outstanding school cricketer of the 1970s. A stylish left-handed opening batsman and stumper he performed incredibly well for St. Anthony's College scoring over ten centuries over a period of four years from 1970 to 1973.

Dunuwille inscribed his name in the record-books of school cricket scoring an attractive century on his debut against Trinity College in the Big match of 1970. He was the first to score a century at the new laid turf wicket at Katugastota.

Dunuwille played for the Central Province schools team in the two- day match against Australian Schoolboys in January 1972 at Asgiriya.  The team comprised players like Nimal Malagamuwa (Vidyartha), Ranjith Colombage (St.Sylvester’s),  Athula Unantenna, Ranjith Dissanayake (Trinity), Janaka Tennakoon, Mahinda Pethiyagoda (Dharmaraja), Merryl  Dunuwille, Suresh Gunatilake, Premalal de Silva, C.P.P. Raj and Jayantha Munnekulame (St.Anthony’s). He also played for Sri Lanka Schools along with cricketers like Roy Dias, Duleep Mendis, Gajan Pathmanathan, Ajith de Silva and Bandula Warnapura against the Australian Schoolboys.

In 1973 Dunuwile was the school team’s vice captain to Premalal de Silva and the team comprised of players like Suresh Gunatilleke, Bernard Ranasinghe,  Mohammed Rizvi,  Shane Balthazaar,  Bede Perera,  Nimal Malagamuwa, Charley Paul, Kevin Balthazaar (wicket-keeper), Hiran Jayasundara,  Bernard Perera, M. Hariz and Sarath Fernando. The MIC was Rev. Fr Alfred Samarakoon, the coach P. Walter Perera and the principal Rev. Fr. Dom Aidan de Silva OSB. This side was unbeaten during the season winning outright against St Benedict’s and Vidyartha and on first innings over Ananda, Nalanda, St Peter’s, Prince of Wales, S. Sylvester’s and Trinity. In the games against St Joseph’s, Royal and Dharmaraja,  though conceding the first innings,  the Antonians amassed good second innings totals that helped end the games in tame draws. The season consisted of 11 matches.

Soon after school Dunuwille played a few games for Old Antonians SC, Kandy CC, Central Province and later crossed over to Colombo and played for Saracens SC and BRC. Later he turned to coaching and coached his alma mater and Trinity College.

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