Former Prince of Wales College cricket captain Suranjith Mendis passed away recently at the age of 81 years after a prolonged illness.
He was a devout Methodist who hails from Puwakaramba, Moratuwa and his entire education was at Prince of Wales.
Suranjith played for the Under-12, 14, 16, Second XI and First XI cricket teams with distinction and he went on to captain the First XI team in 1958/59 season.
His counterpart in the Big Match was Sirimal Fernando and it was the fifth occasion that the Cambrians beat their traditional rivals in the Big Match history.
During this period the Big Match commenced on both days at 12.00 noon and in 1959 it was played on a matting wicket. Suranjith was an opening batsman and a fine left-hand bat with an array of strokes and a ‘master’ on matting wicket. Suranjith scored a century (107) for Moratuwa SC against Moors SC in their own den as a schoolboy in the Sara Trophy final-round match in 1959. He pulverized the strong Moors bowling attack to all corners of the ground and it was like spraying bullets.
He was a member of the Daily News Trophy Team when they won the Trophy in 1955 and later he played in the P. Sara Trophy Tournament in the 1960’s.
Whilst at school he played against the visiting Indian Schools Team in 1958 under Milkha Singh when the strong Moratuwa Schools Team met them at the De Soysa Park in Moratuwa. In addition to cricket, he captained the College Volleyball Team in 1958 and his other members of the team were former Navy Commander Clancy Fernando, L. D. Haripala, C. P. Attanayake, G. S. Abeysiriwardene and Walter Senanayake. Suranjith joined the Ceylon Transport Board and represented them in the ‘A’ Division and went on to play for the Nationalised Services Cricket Team.
His burial took place at the General Cemetery, Rawathawatte after a church service at Methodist Church, Koralawella, Moratuwa.
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