The Fast and Furious - T.B. Kehelgamuwa

Before speed guns were used in cricket, the 'Kehel Yaka' was known to be the fastest bowler this country ever produced, cutting batters in half with his pace and very famously cartwheeling Geoff Boycott's off stump in an unofficial Test match against the Marylebone Cricket Club!

Born on this day in Gampola and starting his early education at Wahalgoda Central College, TB Kehelgamuwa later moved to Dharmaraja College where he captained the school cricket team and won the Best Schoolboy Bowler award two years in a row.

"Schoolboy in team for Gopalan Trophy", "C. I. Leads Strong Team - Schoolboy Kehelgamuwa in" were some of the headlines when young Kehelgamuwa was selected to play for Ceylon in the Tour of South India in 1961. At the same time, he joined the Ceylon Police Force in 1963 and continued playing cricket while serving.

He went on to become one of the best fast bowlers of his time, and was pivotal in Ceylon's first win against the MCC in a Limited Overs match in 1969. Unfortunately, he never got the opportunity to play Test Cricket as the status was gained only in 1982 but was one of the 49 cricketers to be felicitated for their services by Sri Lanka Cricket. In fact, he was the manager of the Sri Lanka Cricket team that won their first overseas Test match, against New Zealand in 1995 and served as a selector (subsquently the chairman) of Sri Lanka Cricket for a decade.

He served at Sri Lanka Police for 40 years before he finally retired as a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Sri Lanka Police in 2002 and also was the personal bodyguard to William Goppallawa, the former Governor General of Ceylon during his tenure.

Here's to wishing 'Kehel' sir on his 82nd birthday!