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Journalism of Courage
A century by an opener in the first inning of the first match of a series always gets rousing applause from the team. But the buoyant mood in the Sri Lankan dressing room after Malinda Warnapura’s paled in comparison with the sight of a tense family, huddled together in the members’ pavilion, turning euphoric.
With the hero of the household batting on 50 overnight, Malinda’s family spent the morning in silent anticipation. Anxiety followed soon after because of a referral to the third umpire when he was on 86. But father Upali Warnapura, with his wife, daughter and a couple of grand-children, feasted at lunch as the three-figure mark had been crossed.
The first ton at home by the 29-year-old, who was dubbed as a child prodigy when he had made it to the Sri Lankan team as a schoolboy, might appear to be like just another cricketing feat by a late bloomer. The reaction from the family may appear as an everyday occurrence at cricket grounds around the world. But there is much to the story of Malinda, who is the nephew of the man who led Sri Lanka in their first official Test in 1981 — Bandula Warnapura.
During the late 70s and early 80s, Warnapura was a cricketing name known not just on the Island but around the world. But things took an unexpected turn in 1982, when Bandula became part of the rebel tour to South Africa. The expected repercussion in that era of apartheid was a life ban by the Lankan cricket board. The ban was reduced after an appeal, but for over a decade Sri Lanka’s first flannelled celebrity was a cricketing outcast.
Malinda’s father Upali, a former first-class cricketer and now a match-referee in domestic games, speaks about what his son’s achievement means to the family. “Warnapura was a big name in Lankan cricket. Even when I visited India, a few heads turned when I mentioned my full name. On subsequent visits to India, people started speaking about Jayasuriya and Muralitharan, but I hope things will change again,” he says, adding how the past two series — West Indies away and India at home — had seen the comeback of his family name in international cricket.
Upali speaks about the role his younger brother Bandula, now working with the Asian Cricket Council in Malaysia, played in grooming Malinda. “My brother had a cement track at his home and Malinda used stay there on weekends. Bandula was an opener, too, but he was right-handed. Composure and flawless technique were things they both have in common,” he says.
That was the time Bandula was serving life ban and wasn’t allowed to officially coach players, but the tips he gave his nephew in his backyard have played a big role in making Malinda an international cricketer.
“More than me, my brother speaks to my son. He was here a couple of days back. Even yesterday he called Malinda from Malaysia. He told him that this was the best opportunity to cement his place in the side. Since the conditions were in the favour of batsmen, he didn’t want him to miss this opportunity,” says Upali.
The opportunity had come after a long struggle. A shoulder injury forced a long layoff and that meant the boy-genius took time to graduate. Also, the multi-faceted Malinda had a tough time recognising his specialisation. He started as a pacer and then went on to become a middle-order batsman. But when he found it hard to get into the star-studded Lankan middle-order, he opted to be an opener.
Two tons in his last four Tests means that Malinda has finally found his calling. And he’s got the once-familiar family name back into the limelight.
