In fact, the state capital of Kuching was a popular cricket venue among expatriates and locals, leading to the inaugural inter-state Davidson Trophy competition with Sabah and Brunei in 1962.
Avid cricketer Brigadier-General (Rtd) Soon Lian Cheng, who served with the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) east Malaysia as a commander, traced the development of the game seven decades ago.
Speaking at a reunion of the Sarawak cricketers at Club Aman, Soon said: “Historical records trace cricket being introduced in Sarawak by European expatriates, as early as 1887.
“It led to the game gaining popularity among schools there, and Sarawak eventually becoming one of the leading cricketing states in the country.”
Soon added that the armed forces also contributed many players to the men’s and women’s national teams.
Among those present were former RMAF and Armed Forces players Lt-Col (Rtd) Manjit Singh Gill, Lt-Col (Rtd) Gerard Denis Singam, retired Warrant Officers I Balasundram Somasundram and Subas Chandra Perumal, Sarawak Cricket Association (SCA) vice-president Dr Ong Kong Swee and journalist Martin Yee.
Now SCA president Gordon Chung has commissioned Dr Ong and Yee to collate data to publish a book on Sarawak’s contribution to cricket.
The book is expected to include input from those who were active in Sarawak cricket, like retired Deputy Superintendent CM Sundram, the late journalist James Ritchie, Lt-Col (Rtd) Dr Jaswant Singh, Col (Rtd) Paleswaran Rajah, Col (Rtd) Dr Balathevan Kandiah, retired Warrant Officer I Chandirasekaran Subramaniyam, coach Robert Chung, Corporal Christina Nina Baret and Cynthia Dolly Sim.
Soon added that published records revealed that in 1950, Sarawak legislative assembly speaker Dr M Sockalingam initiated the revival of cricket among locals, and by 1953 governor Anthony Abel further influenced its popularity.
“Initially, the St Thomas School grounds became a regular venue before the newly constructed Sarawak Union Club took over for regular matches. An air force team from Singapore beat the Kuching team in one of the first matches in 1953,” said Soon.
“In 1969, East Malaysia Army operations director Major-General Ungku Nazaruddin Ungku Mohamad organised regular matches between the Kuching Cricket Club, Prisons Sports Club, the police and the Armed Forces.
“The annual Sri Lara Cup between the civilians and the Armed Forces was inaugurated that year,” added Soon, who in 1994 donated the General Soon challenge trophy for the annual RMAF-Sarawak match.
Comically, the tournament was discontinued some years later when the trophy was either misplaced or presumed stolen!
By 1980, the Sri Lara Cup was replaced by the then deputy Sarawak police commissioner Ramsay Jitam’s challenge trophy.
According to Soon, the Kuching Cricket Club, formed in 1959 and dominated by expatriate Europeans, saw more locals participating within 10 years.
In 1969, Sarawak’s first police commissioner John George Ritchie (James’ father), previously the Malacca Cricket Association president, became the first local president of the club.
“Ritchie realised raw talent was plenty but playing facilities were severely lacking.
“With good support from the Miri Gymkhana Club, the Sarawak Cricket Association was formed on Oct 30, 1978 with Mohd Effendi Norwawi elected as its first president.
“Thereafter, Bustari Yusuf and Ramsay Noel Jitam, were among those who took over the helm,” Soon said.
Soon also highlighted how Ramsay had described cricket in one of his books as “the king of sports”.
“It is a game without a whistle, warning cards are unknown, and gentlemanly behaviour is taken for granted.
“Goodwill and friendship are the main goals. Winning and losing are only of secondary importance. The results of the game are soon forgotten,” Soon said.
“This game which keeps people together in the sun for days, helps them to know one another better and, thus, fosters friendship and understanding.
“Sarawak cricket has brought the police, armed forces and civilians closer together,” Soon said at the reunion.