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Roy Dias was a world-class batsman

Posted on 18 April 2014 by admin

 

ROY DIAS

 

Roy Dias was one of Sri Lanka's most correct batsman. He was without question a great stroke maker. As with most countries during their early years in Test cricket, Sri Lanka struggled with a lack of good batsmen to threaten established test playing nations. However, the presence of Roy Dias as a top order batsman gave the country the stability. Roy was a top class bat, who was classical in his stroke making, both in attack and defence. Roy was equally comfortable against both pace and spin.

A product of St. Peter's College, he was born in 1952. He was a batting stylist. Many of our coaches assisted him. One was Carl Obeysekera, a former All-Ceylon cricketer who was a major influence during Dias' formative years.

Roy Dias after a good school cricketing carrier, left in 1972 and joined the Colts Cricket Club. He was with them for eight seasons, later moved to SSC in 1980 and ended up at the CCC in 1988.

He first came into international cricket in 1979 for the World Cup. On the back of strong batting performances by Roy Dias, Duleep Mendis and Anura Tennekoon, the country established themselves as the dominant force among the associate nations. At that time Sri Lanka met Indian in the third and the final match, Sri Lanka won the first game, scoring 235 for 5 with half centuries coming off the bats of Roy Dais, Duleep Mendis and Sunil Wettimuny. In reply Indians were sent back to the pavilion for 191. This victory was the initial moment in Sri Lanka's push to become a full-fledged Test nation. Following the intense lobbying of Australia's delegates, among others, Sri Lanka were finally admitted as a Test-playing nation in 1981.

By: Hafiz Marikar – Courtesy: Daily News

In the inaugural Test, which was played on the 17th of February 1982 at P. Sara Stadium. Roy failed and was out for a duck, and Sri Lanka were all out for 218, but did well to halt the Englishmen to 223. In the 2nd innings Sri Lanka managed to score 175, with Roy Dias scoring a fine 77. And England won by seven wickets. Roy Dias made his Test debut when he was nearly 30.

After the inaugural test, we went to Pakistan for a three match tour.

On this tour, Roy Dias was unlucky to miss his first Test century in the second outing, in Faisalabad where he made 98 and this game ended in a draw. In the third test in Lahore, Roy Dias managed to get triple figures and ended the seres with 295 runs at 49.16 rating.

Roy followed this with 60 and 97 in the one-off Test against India in Madras. At the conclusion of his career, Dias was to rate this 97 as the best innings he ever played.

Our next Test was against New Zealand that was in 1984, once again Roy Dias was in top form, scoring his second Test century 108. Facing bowlers like Richard Hadlee and Ewen Chatfield. Then in 1985 Roy had his best Test series. He started disappointingly with scores of 4 and a duck in the first Test against India. However, Sri Lanka recorded their first victory when they beat them at the P Sara Stdium in the second test. Roy Dias contributed 95 and 60 not out. With Roy Dias scoring his third ton and he finished with 273 runs at 54.60.

Roy Dias's final Test batting average was 36.71. He is still the fastest Sri Lankan to 1000 Test runs, getting it in twenty three innings, which ranks in front of our current batsmens. When Viv Richards was told to name his World XI the great batsman Richards overlooked many of his country men, to name Roy Dias.

Following his retirement he kept with with cricket and set up an academy and was one of the selectors who picked the 1996 World Cup-winning team. He was appointed as Sri Lanka's coach after Bruce Yardley in 1998.

Then he was the coach of the Nepal team, and gave them the much needed backing and their Under-19 side pocketed the Plate runners-up in the 2002 World Cup and won the Plate title in 2006. His good work was recognized by King Gyanendra, who presented him the Prabal Gorkha Dakshin Bahu (IV Class).

Roy Dias has also been an ICC match referee and subsequently coached the Oman and Malaysian teams since leaving Nepal. He was a good pal of Duleep Mendis at batting and when ever he was in Kandy for International cricket, I had a close association with him, as the man who was in charge of the teams in Kandy.

 

 

– See more at: http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=sports/roy-dias-was-batting-stylist#sthash.iebrO55i.dpuf

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