Chippy Gunasekara
L. D. S. "Chippy" Gunasekara (1905 – 8 January 1974) was a cricketer and lawyer who played first-class cricket for Ceylon from 1929 to 1935.
Personal information | |||||||||||||||
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Full name | L. D. S. Gunasekara | ||||||||||||||
Born | 1905 Ceylon | ||||||||||||||
Died | 8 January 1974 (aged 68 or 69) Sri Lanka | ||||||||||||||
Nickname | Chippy | ||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) | ||||||||||||||
Batting | Left-handed | ||||||||||||||
Relations | Churchill Gunasekara (uncle) | ||||||||||||||
Career statistics | |||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 28 September 2017 |
Although he was only five feet three inches tall and played in spectacles, "Chippy" Gunasekera was a good left-handed opening batsman with a strong defence, and a fine cover fieldsman.[1] He toured India in 1932-33, top-scoring in Ceylon's first-ever first-class victory, in the match against Patiala, when he made 57 in the first innings, the only fifty on either side.[2][3] He captained Ceylon in the match against the Australians in 1935-36, top-scoring in Ceylon's second innings.[4] In club cricket in Colombo he formed an outstanding opening partnership with Mohotti Albert, and later in his career he became one of Ceylon's best leg-spin bowlers.[1]
Later Gunasekara was one of the leading criminal lawyers in Ceylon.[5] He was also a prominent cricket coach.[1]
References
- S. S. Perera, "L. D. S. Gunasekera", The Cricketer, May 1974, p. 39.
- I. M. Mansukhani, "Ceylon Tour in India", The Cricketer, Spring Annual, 1933, pp. 74–75.
- "Patiala v Ceylon, 1932-33". CricketArchive. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- "All Ceylon v Australians 1935-36". Cricinfo. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- Wisden 1975, p. 1079.