Prominent cricketing personality, Senior cricket commentator and former interim committee member Ranil Abeynaike has passed away today morning, aged 57 years. The sudden death of this veteran cricketer was due to a heart attack.
A product of S. Thomas College Mt. Lavinia, he played for the 1st XI team with distinction and captained the college in the mid seventies and subsequently took over as head coach of the Thomian team which won the Royal Thomian annual battle.
Abeynaike made his first-class debut for the Mercantile Cricket Association against the Pakistan Under-25s. His first first-class match for Sri Lanka came against Tamil Nadu in the 1974/75 Gopalan Trophy. A further first-class appearance followed in 1976, when he was a part of the Sri Lanka Board President’s XI team which played the touring Pakistanis. A year later he appeared for Sri Lanka in a first-class match against the touring Marylebone Cricket Club lead by Tony Greig, an unofficial Test. In 1978, Abeynaike joined English county Bedfordshire, making his debut against Cambridgeshire in that seasons Minor Counties Championship. Following the 1978 season, he returned to Sri Lanka where he made two List A appearances for the Sri Lanka Board President’s XI against the touring West Indians.
Ranil played for the Sinhalese Sport Club between 1973 and 1990. Abeynaike made eight first-class appearances for the club, the last of which came against the Cambrians Sports Club.
Abeynaike was a renowned television commentator covering international cricket and completed 25 years in the profession during the second Test between Sri Lanka and West Indies at the Premadasa Stadium in November 2010.He was also a first class curator with the fast SSC pitch being his creation.
He was also a part of several cricket programs and he was always a good resource person to local and international media with fluent English and with a deep knowledge about Cricket.
Ranil was given the responsibilities as a cricket administrator several times. He was once a member of Sri lanka cricket interim committee. He has also been a member of selection committee.
Funeral Date and Location of Late Ranil Aneynayaka
The funeral will take place on February 23 at the Mount Lavinia cemetery.The remains will be kept at A.F. Raymond florists from 2.00 pm on that day.The last rites take place at the S. Thomas College chapel, from 4.00 pm, followed by the burial at 5.00 pm
We at Lnaka Help Magazine salute this Great Cricketing personality and convey our condolence to the members of the family.