A false alarm on social media this week sent shockwaves among the cricketing world, claiming that cricket icon Percy Abeysekara had passed away. After a couple of hours there was a sigh of relief when Percy’s family confirmed that their father was in good spirits.
Percy has been an enigma in cricket. You never see Percy driving to cricket. Maybe he never had a vehicle. But he was such an iconic figure everyone related to cricket, be it players, administrators or fellow fans were readily willing to give Percy a lift.
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One fine day when Percy was walking back to his stay, several jeeps stopped, having recognized him. Someone got down from one of the jeeps and told Percy to get into the first jeep and he would be dropped off. It was the jeep of Suriyawewa Caeser, a notorious gangster from the south. When they saw Percy, even the underworld’s hearts melted.
On another occasion, when Percy was waiting for a bus to head back to Colombo after a game at Asgiriya, Gamini Dissanayake, number four in the J. R. Jayawardene government, was returning to Colombo after the game and offered Percy a lift. During their ride the Board President asked Percy, ‘Why don’t you join the Cricket Board.’ And Percy replied, ‘Sir, I’d be rather on the footboard than the cricket board,’
They say that people overseas may not know who the President of Sri Lanka is, but they quickly recognize Percy.
Once Percy was arrested in Hobart for entering the playing field. The cops in the far-off Tasmania which often looks cut off from rest of the world were a rare minority of people who didn’t recognize Percy. Soon, Percy was giving them lessons on Australian cricket talking to them about Don Bradman to Keith Miller. He elaborated on Australia’s cricket loving Prime Ministers from Robert Menzies to John Howard. Percy was well read and well versed on cricket, world politics and literature.
As the cops got familiar with Percy, the protests against Percy’s arrest came from the Australian players themselves with Adam Gilchrist and Michael Hussey arguing his case. Soon, they let him go. Percy was seen roaming around the Bellerive Oval freely.
Percy was a notable absentee during the recent Pakistan Test series. He hardly misses a home game and used to travel frequently overseas for cricket games. He had attended the Ireland Tests in Galle and had become weak after that. We might not see an energetic Percy on the cricket field again. But to do it till the age of 87 is quite remarkable indeed. Yes, 87. If you ask his age, Percy will say, ‘I am only two days younger to Sir Garry Sobers, but I am fitter than Sir Garry Sobers,’
All the players be it local or foreign, they get along well with Percy. There are many fans in cricket. There are super fans among them too. But what makes Percy a cut above the rest is his deep knowledge of the game and his wit. He has been blessed with the rare gift of coming up with brilliant one-liners.
A few players have tried to get under the skin of Percy and have got it back. Russel Arnold for instance. He was dropped for the Zimbabwe Test at Asgiriya in 2002. While doing 12th man duty, Russel spotted that Percy had had one too many shots in the afternoon and needled him. ‘Ok Percy. Now stop. You are boring,’ Russel said. It didn’t take much time for Percy to hit back. He said, ‘I’m boring but you aren’t scoring.’
During the 1984 tour of England, when Sri Lanka performed beyond expectations as Percy was moving around waving his flag, a spectator asked him, ‘Is that a lamb in your flag.’ Percy replied, ‘Lamb is in your team.’ Referring to Alan Lamb. ‘My flag has a lion.’
Percy indeed is a national icon. All of us who are attached to cricket, be it players, match officials, ground staff or media, we make a decent living out of cricket. But here’s a man who got nothing from the sport but dedicated his entire life for the sport cheering Sri Lankan cricketers. You never heard him utter anything uncomplimentary about a player. Even when he did it was after being provoked and that too everyone including the affected party could have a laugh about it.
Percy’s employers ACL Cables need to be complemented as well. He played cricket for them and went onto captain them. Any company the maximum extension that they give even the most loyal employer is ten years. But Percy has gone much beyond. His employers gave him leave in plenty if he had to be around a cricket ground supporting a team. Then they funded his overseas travels too. Such magnanimous gestures are rare indeed.
