Former Maris Stella and St. Mary’s College cricketer, athlete and soccer player, Jupiter’s Sports Club, Negombo Soccerite and Sri Lanka Air Force Cricketer, Athlete, Soccer and Rugger Player and Royal Oman Air Force Cricketer Suprayer Dharmarajah hails from Negombo and presently he is residing at the Government Flats, Bambalapitiya, Colombo 04 and he is 81 years old.
 Suprayer Dharmarajah |
When he was at Maris Stella he played for the under 12 cricket and soccer teams. During this period soccer was very famous in Negombo. From there he shifted to St. Mary’s College and played for the under 14, 16 and first eleven cricket and soccer teams and initially he was a wicket keeper batsman, middle order bat and a very fine close in fielder. After some time his coach had advised him to take up to pace bowling and till the end of his career he opened the attack. His team mates were Kenneth Fernando, A. R. F. Fernando and Cyril Ernest to mention a few. Later Cyril Ernest joined St. Benedicts. In athletics he did 880 yards, Javelin and discus throw and became the school champion in all age limits. He participated in the group meets and won the discus throw event and he was unsuccessful at the public schools meet. He played for the soccer team and captained the side and whilst at school he joined the Jupiters Sports Club, Negombo and played soccer for them. His team mates were Airmen Thuan Alip, Quintes Fernando and Lawrence to mention a few and his forte was Foot ball.
In 1959 he joined the then Royal Ceylon Air Force and after the completion of Military and combat training in Diyatalawa he was drafted to Logistics Branch at Katunayake. During his 22 year career he represented the Air Force in cricket, soccer, athletics and rugger. He learnt his basics in Rugger under former Commander Air Vice Marshal Harry Gunathilake. He represented Air Force in these games in various tournaments from time to time
He represented the Air Force commencing from Daily News, Donovan Andree and Sara Trophy as an opening bowler and middle order bat. He was a member of the Daily News and Donovan Andree teams which was the all island championships in 1962 and 1966 respectively. Air Force won under the leadership of AVM Harry Gunathilake and K. M. Nelson and also they won the inter services tournament in 1962 under Harry Gunathilake and Charlie Amarasinghe in 1966. He was a member of the Cesil Horan Trophy Tournament team where Colts Cricket Club defeated the Air Force in a fifty over game.
In rugger he played for the Inter Services and Combined Services Teams. He represented the combined services against the visiting Bosuns Team from England.
In soccer he played through out his career for the first and second eleven teams and once he captained the Second eleven team. His team mates were Mahinda Aluwihare, Dougie Fernando, Quintus Fernando, Christy Fernando, Preena, Aliph, Sadukeen, Hasheemdeen (Jnr), Somapala Fernando, Crowther, Withanage, AVM Terrance Gunawardene and Thaheer to mention a few.
In athletics his captain was Lakshman de Alwis and he did Javelin and discus for the Air Force in various meets and his team mates were E. M. D. M. Perera, Hemasiri Fernando, R. A. C. Hubert, Wijay Bandara, Chellaiyah, A. L. M. Khan (Jnr), George Bruno Fernando and K. M. I. S. Fernando to mention a few.
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