Kandy has been outrageously neglecting the cue sport despite it giving Sri Lanka the first world title through M.J.M. Lafir (billiards) in 1973.
But now it is left to be seen whether some of the senior cueists are really keen to organize a tournament for both billiards and snooker, soon after the coronavirus vanishes.
The sport of billiards and snooker over here in the hill capital of Kandy has taken a nose dive. There are no tournaments unlike in the past when there were inter-club matches between Kandy clubs and also played against Colombo clubs. The tournaments were organized by the controlling body.
In the early days, CYO - Catholic Club which was housed at the St. Sylvester’s College building, Lawn Club near the Kandy Market where the present library is housed, Public Service Club behind Police ground, Mahanuwara YMBA, Kandy YMMA both are neighbours above the Kandy Lake, Kandy Garden Club, Kandy Club, Peradeniya Faculty Club, Kings Cue Club who earned a name through cue sport, took the game very seriously and the tournaments were a great attraction to many cueists.
Today, the sport is dormant in most of the clubs and only played in parlors. Whatever said and done Mahanuwara YMBA and Public Services club switch on the lights and the game is played.
However, there is a ray of hope amid dark clouds as past cue veterans are drawing up elaborate plans in the days to come to take the sport which produced Sri Lanka’s first world champion, to great heights. The belief is that the cue sport which has been in the doldrums for many years is bound to take a big leap.
The reason why the game has not prospered in Kandy in the last two decades is because of the lack of interest. The controlling body should cure this malady. At one time, the Kandy Billiards and Snooker Association actively promoted the game in a big way.
The most looked forward to event was the Kandy District ‘Lanka Plate’ Billiards and Snooker championships.
From Kandy M.J. Marzook Wahid a product of MT Mahiyawa went on to represent Sri Lanka at the World Billiards championships in Canada and was the first to represent the country from Kandy. He was from Kings Cue Club.
Hafiz Marikar became the first national manager of the cue sport from Kandy and continued for nearly ten years and also was at one time a key figure with the cue controlling body while later Faise Samad was in controlling body.
At one time Kandy was only next to Colombo in billiards and snooker, and provided national players and officials. Today sad to say the sport is in the dark. Some clubs don’t even switch on the lights of the table.
Kandy YMMA, one of the founders of the Billiards and Snooker Association has completely forgotten to switch on the table lights. At one time YMMA’s table was on the floor, with all six table legs badly damaged. It was this writer who initiated with the late Dr. Samad Ismail, A.S.M. Naufel, Mamu Ismail and Afzal Marikar to repair the table and procured the cloth from the late Frouse Saheed and the table was put on the correct path.
Kandy Garden Club also promoted the sport but now they play just for recreation. They had two tables, selling one and replacing it with a pool table. Kandy Club’s billiards room is their mini storeroom. The club possesses probably one of the most historic tables and a score board. Many myths and legends surrounded this table which dates back to 1913.
Thanks to keen cue promoters Mahanuwara YMBA and Kandy Public Services Club are the only clubs which keep the game alive. Kings Cue Club which earned a name in this sport too has closed their doors while the Peradeniya Faculty Club still plays the game. Today the sport is played only in cue parlors. No one is interested and there is no proper person who can uplift the sport.
Some of the top followers who played for Kandy were M.J. Marzook Wahid (represented the country), R.Letchuman , D B Ekanayake M. Zahir, Wapap Razak, Faise Samad, Jude Fernando, Manoor Jhan, Mervyn Jayasundara, Jhan Mohamed, S. Chandrakumar, G.B. Yatigamana , P.M.B Amarasekera, Wilbert Gamage, Sarath Gunatillake, A.Cyril de Soysa, S. Sampath, Tuan Amidon, M. Uzmath , Fayer Jhan and D. Withanagamage to name a few.