Cricket is a game very popular among the urban as well as the rural community.
Due to lack of equipment and as the coaches are more interested in getting involved in cricket practices among town folk and the relevant authorities are favouring the children in popular Schools the talented cricketers of rural Schools were never given an opportunity to improve their skills according to one of the present Senior Coaches D.D.P.Alwis of the Sinhalese Sports Club, School of Cricket Colombo.
He was a product of Dharmaraja College,Kandy and a fine al allround Sportsman who excelled in Cricket and Hockey. His cricket career spanned over 45 years and during this period he represented his alma mater, Sri Lanka Schools and Kandy Cricket Club in the Donovan AndreeTrophy Cricket tournament. Joining the Air Force , Alwis represented Adastrians in the Premier league Sara Trophy tournament from 1971 to 1981. He was known to be one of the hardest hitters at School level and this was clearly proved by the fact, that in 1967,he hit M.Rahuman of Zahira College, Colombo for 30 runs in one over (4 sixes, 1 four and 2 runs).
In the same year in a third term match against St.Thomas’ Mt.Lavinia led by Praboda Kariyawasam, Alwis with a fine knock of 72 runs led the Rajans to register their first ever victory over St.Thomas’ College. Having scored 72 in the Rajans 1st innings, total of 140, he went on to take 3 for 20 and the Thomians were dismissed for 130 in the first innings.Alwis played for Kandy Cricket Club under Malcolm Berenger in 1970 and the writer Upananda Jayasundera along with Sunil Munasinghe,Ajith Gannoruwa, Darrel Lieversz(former All Ceylon Cricketer) were also some of the members of that particular team. When Alwis joined Sri Lanka Air Force he played alongside Dr.Cyril Ernest, Dr.Nihal Gurusinghe, Tony Opatha, Brian Obeysekera and Ajith Jayasekera to name a few.
Alwis has a record of playing for old Rajans in the Col.Steel Olcott Memorial Cricket tournament from the inaugural year 1999 and led the team to their first victory in 2001. Alwis also represented Defence Services at Cricket from 1978 to 1980. He represented Up-country and Central Province cricket teams under Berty Gomes in 1968 and before joining the Air Force played against Pakistan and Madras Cricket teams.After joining the Air Force he played hockey from1971 to 1982 Captaining the team in 1979. He played forDefence Services in 1979 and toured India with the Air Force team in 1981. He was also in the National Pool in 1979. At Football Alwis captained his alma mater in 1967 and led the team to victory at the Central Province Football tournament.
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