Stanley de Silva

Deva Lokesh Stanley de Silva (November 17, 1956, Ambalangoda – April 12, 1980, Balapitiya), was a Sri Lankan ODI cricketer. A member of Sri Lanka's tour of England and Ireland in 1979, he played two ODIs in the 1979 Cricket World Cup.

Stanley De Silva
ස්ටැන්ලි ද සිල්වා

Personal information
Full name	Deva Lokesh Stanley de Silva
Born	(1956-04-12)April 12, 1956 Ambalangoda
Died	12 April 1980(1980-04-12) (aged 23) Balapitiya
Batting	Right-hand bat
Bowling	Right-arm fast-medium
International information
National side	Sri Lanka (1979)
ODI debut (cap 14)	9 June 1979 v New Zealand
Last ODI	16 June 1979 v India
Career statistics
Competition ODIs Matches 2 Runs scored 10 Batting average 10.00 100s/50s -/- Top score 10 Balls bowled 20 Wickets 2 Bowling average 27.00 5 wickets in innings – 10 wickets in match n/a Best bowling 2/36 Catches/stumpings 1/-
Source: Cricinfo, 1 May 2016

Early career

Stanley de Silva was educated at Mahinda College, Galle, where he started his cricket career. He worked as an official of the Ceylon Tobacco Company.

International career

A medium-fast right-arm swing bowler of real promise,[1] he made his ODI debut against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. De Silva played an important part in Sri Lanka's first ever ODI win, which was recorded over India at the 1979 Prudential World Cup match that played at Old Trafford.[1] In that game he captured the wickets of Anshuman Gaekwad and Kapil Dev for 36 runs, after bowling 12 overs.[2]

Death

Stanley de Silva died on April 12, 1980 at the early age of 23 in a motorcycle accident at Balapitiya, Sri Lanka. His early death was a blow to Sri Lanka's aspirations to be granted full Test status at the beginning of the 1980s.[1]

References

1. Wisden obituary – De Silva, Deva Lokesh Stanely
2. Prudential World Cup – 9th match, Group B, India v Sri Lanka

External links

• Cricinfo article on Stanley de Silva