Malay CC to mark 150th anniversary with a series of sports events
The oldest cricket club in Sri Lanka established in 1872, the Colombo Malay Cricket Club (CMCC) will celebrate its 150th anniversary this year with a series of sports activities throughout the year to mark this momentous occasion.
“The anniversary celebrations will kick-off with the launch of the First Day Cover to mark CMCC’s 150th inauguration on March 19, 2022.. This will be followed by a cricket encounter between the CMCC and Sri Lanka Cricket Board President’s XI team. The highlight of the celebrations will be a commemorative Charity Dinner on March 26 where the keynote speaker will be Sri Lanka’s cricket legend and former MCC Chairman Kumar Sangakkara,” said President of the CMCC Rizwan Badoordeen at a media briefing held at the ‘Padang’ Complex, Kew Road, Colombo 2.
An invitation six-a-side cricket tournament is scheduled to be held on May 27 to 29 or June 3 to 5 and the venue will be announced. The tournament is basically a fellowship event to foster goodwill and camaraderie among the premier clubs like SSC, NCC, Bloomfield and CCC.
A badminton tournament will be held on June 18 at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium. It will be conducted as an open event for both genders to participate in different age categories and attractive prizes will be on offer.
Another unique competition Netball Carnival is scheduled to be held at Padang Complex on July 30 and 31. The game will be controlled by the whistle of the Master Referee whilst matches are being played simultaneously on different courts. This event has been conducted only in Singapore earlier in according to organisers.
An Open Sepak Takraw Tournament will be conducted on August 27 at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium. Sepak Takraw game was originated in Malaysia while CMCC are the pioneer of the sport in Sri Lanka. The players are required to have football and gymnastic skills to play the game.
An Invitation seven-a-side Hockey Carnival featuring eight school teams and eight club side will be held at Padang Complex in the month of August. CMCC has a rich history with hockey being oldest club affiliated to the Colombo Hockey Association.
In the history of CMCC, the Malays had close association with the British Military personnel giving rise to a historic encounter on March 23, 1872 between an All-Malay team fielded by the Rifle Regiment and a British Regimental side. CMCC has the singular honour of hosting the historic meeting inaugurating a new controlling body for cricket in the country – the Ceylon Cricket Board of Control (now Sri Lanka Cricket) at the Malay CC Pavillion at Rifle Green, Slave Island (Colombo 2) on June 25, 1948.