Chippy Gunasekara

Sri Lankan cricketer

Chippy Gunasekara
Personal information
Full name
L. D. S. Gunasekara
Born1905
Ceylon
Died8 January 1974 (aged 68 or 69)
Sri Lanka
NicknameChippy
Height5 ft 3 in (1.60 m)
BattingLeft-handed
RelationsChurchill Gunasekara (uncle)
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 11
Runs scored 336
Batting average 25.09
100s/50s 0/2
Top score 67
Catches/stumpings 4/1
Source: Cricinfo, 28 September 2017

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.

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

  1. ^ a b c S. S. Perera, "L. D. S. Gunasekera", The Cricketer, May 1974, p. 39.
  2. ^ I. M. Mansukhani, "Ceylon Tour in India", The Cricketer, Spring Annual, 1933, pp. 74–75.
  3. ^ "Patiala v Ceylon, 1932-33". CricketArchive. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  4. ^ "All Ceylon v Australians 1935-36". Cricinfo. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  5. ^ Wisden 1975, p. 1079.

External links

  • Chippy Gunasekara at ESPNcricinfo