Sri Lankans arrive with memories of tragedy

Sri Lankan cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya arrives at Christchurch Airport. Picture / Simon Baker

Painful memories flooded back for Sri Lankan cricket star Sanath Jayasuriya as he set foot back in New Zealand yesterday.

It was almost exactly a year ago the veteran batsman was playing for his country in Auckland when his family were caught in the path of the devastating tsunami that swept across southern Asia, killing at least 216,000 people.

Jayasuriya's 60-year-old mother, Breeda, was seriously injured by the tidal wave that struck Sri Lanka's coastline on Boxing Day while she was on her weekly trip to buy vegetables. A man saved her from being trampled to death.

His other relatives escaped with minor injuries, but his hometown of Matara was devastated and more than 40,000 Sri Lankans died.

"I think we left New Zealand the same day as the tsunami hit. So we all remember what happened here and the last year when we were here. I think it keeps reminding us of the tragedy we had in Sri Lanka," Jayasuriya said. "The people will remember here when we last played in New Zealand, so what we want to do is do well to remember the series and the people who were affected."

In the hours after learning of the tragedy, Jayasuriya agonisingly sought to reach his family by telephone before the Sri Lankan tour of New Zealand was cancelled.

He returned with his Sri Lankan team yesterday to complete the series interrupted by the tsunami, fresh from one-year commemorations of the disaster. Jayasuriya said his mother and family had recovered well and his country was slowly getting back on its feet.

"People are still worried, and they are just recovering, and still they remember the day when they got hit. My parents have recovered and they are well at my hometown in Matara. People are working on it and affected people have been in a much better situation."

Sri Lankan team captain Marvan Atapattu said his country owed a lot to the world coming to their aid. "It is getting better. Getting better slowly though. It's a lot different now with the help of so many countries and so many people. We are ever so grateful to them to get our country back in shape," he said.

"We went through a bit of a hard time in December 2004. And we had lots of ceremonies before we came. There's lots to play for - for people who have lost their lives, their relatives and their loved ones."

The Sri Lankan cricketers' return was celebrated yesterday by New Zealand's cricket-mad Sri Lankan community. It is seen as a sign of the continuing Sri Lankan fightback from the devastation of the tsunami.

"It is a really important thing for them to come back and complete the tour," said community leader Rukman Wagachchi.

"We enjoy our cricket. Every shot, every ball. It doesn't matter if it is Sri Lankans or New Zealanders."