Representing Matale as an 18-year-old, PA Hettiarachchie shone as a left half at the first National Hockey Championships in 1956. Captaining the team in 1959, he played for over a decade.
Very small in stature he had iron wrists and was a very fierce defender. His performances on both his tours in 1957 and Jan/Feb 1960 were fantastic. When the great Mylvaganam lost two penalty “bullys” consecutively in two matches, he asked ‘Hetti’ to take it. Whenever we were awarded one, Hetti saved the day for us on many an occasion.
As a 17-year-old school boy in 1955 he played for the Nondescripts CC who won the ‘Andriesz Shield’ League.
PA. HETTIARATCHI (born 1938)
Position: Left Half
Clubs: YMBA Matale, Nondescripts CC and Matale HA
1957 Tour of Madras
1958 vs Madras HA
1960 Tour of North India (Jan/Feb)
1960 vs Indian Olympic team
1960 vs New Zealand
Derrick Harvie the All-rounder from Kingswood
Derrick Harvie was one of the most outstanding sportsmen to come from Kingswood College, Kandy, having excelled in hockey (captain), soccer and cricket.
As a schoolboy he represented Kandy DHA at the first and second National Hockey Championships in 1956 and 1957 and again in 1958.
Finding employment at Commercial Company Colombo, he represented the Mercantile HA from 1959 to 1971, captaining from 1965 to 1967.
Joining the Burgher RC in 1958, he had an outstanding career until 1971, captaining the team in 1962 and 1963.
He was a robust and dependable left half. A 100% team man, he would fearlessly defend the maundering Indians at internationals at home and abroad.
At the 1966 Asian Games, he was badly injured but continued to play.
He went on to lead Ceylon versus India in 1967. Derrick was appointed a National Selector in 1969/70 and emigrated to Melbourne, Australia with wife Dawn and family in 1972.
DERRICK E. HARVIE (born 1937)
Position: Left half
Clubs: Burgher RC, Kandy, Colombo and Mercantile HA
1957 Tour of Madras
1960 tour of Madras and Mysore
1965 vs Indonesia
1966 Asian Games, Bangkok
1966 Tour of South and North India
1967 vs India (3 Tests – Captain in 2nd Test)
1967 Tour of North India
1968 vs Malaysia
1968 Tour of Lahore, Pakistan (pre-Olympic International Festival)
1969 Tour of North and South India (captain)
Rienzie Perera the cricketer of repute
Rienzie Perera was both a top class hockey player and cricketer of repute. In 1955 he was instrumental in helping the Nondescripts CC to win the coveted Andriesz Shield inter-club League tournament. At right inside, he was a consistent goal scorer at all levels.
He represented Mercantile HA at the first National Hockey Championships in 1956 plus four others, and toured South India with the first ever Mercantile HA team. In 1960, he had the distinction of winning international colours playing against the Indian Olympic team.
RIENZIE PERERA
Position: Right inside
Clubs: Nondescripts CC, Colombo and Mercantile HA
1956 vs Mysore HA
1957 Tour of Madras
1960 vs Indian Olympic team
Pius Nanayakkara, vital cog of Mercantile HA
Pius Nanayakkara as left back was a very reliable and vital member of any team.
He played for 13 years and was an automatic choice for the Mercantile HA at the National Championships, helping them win many championships and also when he captained in 1969. He was a member of the Ceylon team to North India in 1960 (Jan/Feb) that was ranked among the 6th to 10th position in world hockey.
Playing in the 1962 Asian Games and against Pakistan in 1962 when they were world champions, were highlights of his career.
PIUS NANAYAKKARA
Position: Right back
Clubs: Old Thomians, Matale, Mercantile HA
1958 vs Madras
1960 Tour of North India (Jan/Feb)
1960 Tour of Madras and Mysore (Dec)
1961 vs Indian Wanderers
1962 Asian Games, Djakarta
1962 vs Pakistan
1962 Tour of Singapore and Malaysia