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Evergreen Gray is here
Edward I. Gray, the diehard old Royalist, who has seen the Jubilee cricket match in 1929 as a schoolboy is here to watch the Royal-Thomian. He said he is happy to witness the 125th anniversary 3-day match beginning on March 11.

He has been a frequent visitor to Sri Lanka though domiciled Down Under. He was a student during the time of Mr. Reid, the Principal of Royal. It was named Reid Avenue after him. Speaking to The Sunday Times Gray said, he was privileged to watch the Jubilee match led by N. Kandiah which team included F.C. de Saram, S.S. Jayawickrema and D.B. Gunasekera etc.

He has excelled in sports like boxing, rugby and athletics and captained the school in all three sports with success. Left school in 1937 and immediately joined the Police as a sub-inspector. During the second World War in 1943, he served Habaraduwa and overseeing Koggala, too. For the first time in the hi

story a flight to Koggala (for refuelling) non-stop from Perth (Australia) to England via S'pore operated on June 29 1943 - then Ceylon (Sri Lanka) was made.

On Sunday March 7, 2004 the Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka David Binns will unveil a plaque at the Lighthouse to mark that historic flight both the Australian and Sri Lankan cricket teams will attend the ceremony. The first Test will be played on March 8 at Galle. Dr. Quintus De Zylwa, Sri Lanka's longest serving cricket Rep to the Australian Cricket Board before the country gained ICC status, said, that the ACB Vice-chairman Bob Horsell flew to Sri Lanka on Friday (March 5) will also attend the Sunday's uveiling ceremony in Galle.

He will be representing the ACB chairman Bob Merriman and also watch the Test series. Eddie Gray too took part in the Royal-Thomian dinner held at the Hilton Hotel. He was a special invitee at the unveiling ceremony at the lighthouse. Doyen of Sri Lanka boxing Gray, who has watched two Olympic medal winners.

Firstly at the Wembly Games in 1948 when late Duncan White created history. Eddie was a member of that team. In 1999, at the Sydney Games, Susanthika Jayasinghe won the second medal. Gray was Sri Lanka's representative at the Sydney Games. He is expected to leave on March 14. - BW

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