TM Sampath defies time to become Sri Lanka’s oldest First Class centurion
Last Sunday, at 43 years and 181 days, TM Sampath became Sri Lanka’s oldest batsman to score a first class century. When he struck an unbeaten 129 off 269 deliveries against Panadura Sports Club in a drawn SLC Major League match at Welagedara, Sampath signalled that he still has more to offer and that his cricketing career is far from over.
Born in Jaffna, raised in the southern city of Kalutara, and the younger brother of famed international cricketer TM Dilshan, Sampath may not have reached the heights in cricket he once hoped for. However, based on available and officially recorded statistics, even at an age when most cricketers choose retirement, he continues to hold his ground as a versatile performer and belongs to Sri Lanka’s so-called lost generation of cricketers.
Currently the captain of Nugegoda Welfare and Sports Club, one of the top 12 teams competing in first class cricket in the ongoing SLC Major League Tournament, Sampath has represented five other teams since making his first class debut for Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club on October 31, 2004. Since then, he has turned out for Badureliya Sports Club, Burgher Recreation Club, Galle Cricket Club and Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club.
Over two decades and 166 first class matches, Sampath has accumulated 7,398 runs at an average of 27.60, with nine centuries and 43 fifties. He has featured extensively in different competitions, including the Champions League Twenty20 for Southern Express and Prime Doleshwar, and has also represented Ruhuna and Basnahira Greens in the Inter-Provincial tournaments. His only appearance in the Lanka Premier League came in 2022 for Kandy Falcons. A true multi-skilled cricketer, Sampath contributes with the bat, makes crucial breakthroughs with his off-break bowling, and, like his older brother, keeps wickets on many occasions.
“I have played premier cricket in England for over 10 years and also in Singapore for quite a long time, in addition to being a regular in the Dhaka Premier League. I entered club cricket as a wicketkeeper, but with time I had to evolve. Knowing that it was always a challenge to reach the top level, unlike my older brother, I never slowed down at domestic level. I still have the same enthusiasm I had 20 years ago at my debut. That is probably why I continue to perform,” Sampath said modestly in response to his record-breaking feat.
Despite never breaking into the national setup, Sampath remains a complete package that any team would value, even at 43 years and 188 days as of today. However, his record as the oldest Sri Lankan to score a first class century remains subject to scrutiny due to the lack of a comprehensive and reliable database of records from the early years of Sri Lankan cricket, which dates back to 1832, with first class cricket beginning in 1920.
“He was as good as his older brother Dilshan, perhaps even a better fielder. I was his head coach at Badureliya SC, and having coached both brothers, I often wondered why such a complete all-rounder failed to reach the top level. Yet he has made his mark even at this age, which is truly something to be proud of,” veteran coach Ranjan Paranavithana remarked.
Sri Lankan cricket has witnessed the heroics of legends such as Mahadevan Sathasivam and others who followed, including Owen Mathau, another aggressive batsman who scored heavily well beyond the usual retirement age. The absence of a properly maintained archive of first class records strengthens the acceptance of Sampath’s recent achievement.
“Since statistics have been properly archived only over the past 30 years, Sampath qualifies as the current holder of this record. There may well have been other batsmen in earlier eras who achieved similar feats, but sadly there are no solid records to verify them,” said Thushara Cooray, a veteran cricket scorer and the only Sri Lankan scorer to have officiated at 100 Test matches.
In recent decades, cricketers similar to Sampath, such as Sajith Fernando, Hemantha Wickramasinghe, Indika de Saram, Varuna Waragoda and Jeewantha Kulatunga, continued to play first class cricket despite failing to establish themselves at international level. None of them earned sustained opportunities in the national team, apart from brief call-ups for de Saram and Kulatunga. De Saram later continued in first class cricket while also serving as coach of Panadura SC. In his final season as player-coach, de Saram struck a swashbuckling 62 off 44 balls for Panadura SC in the second innings of a first class match they won by two wickets against BRC on November 26, 2023. At 50 years and 84 days, he became the oldest player to score a first class half-century. While Sampath continues his journey, the rest called time on their careers either before or shortly after turning 40.
“There have been cricketers who continued to play beyond their 40s, but most of them were bowlers. Sampath stands out as the only batsman to remain competitive, and his century last weekend strongly suggests he is the oldest to score a first class hundred. Still, it is a fact that requires thorough verification,” active and seasoned scorers Chinthaka Munasinghe and M. Nandalal stated.
Highlighting his versatility, Sampath has scored a total of 13,441 runs across all three formats since 2004, comprising 7,398 in first class cricket, 4,463 in List A matches and 1,580 in Twenty20s. He has also taken 600 wickets across formats, with 384 in first class cricket, 157 in List A and 59 in T20s as a right-arm off-spinner. As a fielder, he has accounted for 334 catches across all formats, including 210 in first class cricket, along with three stumpings. Driven by a desire to achieve more as an all-rounder, Sampath intends to remain competitive until his enduring prime finally fades.
“I suppose I have been both lucky and unlucky as a cricketer. Perhaps I competed against some of the best players of the era, which may be one reason I failed to reach the top. But that also made me stronger and is why I still enjoy challenging younger players. I am strict about my fitness and will continue for as long as I am fit,” said an optimistic Sampath, who is gradually transitioning from player to coach.
With many still uncertain, including Sampath himself, about whether the record legitimately belongs to him, the urgent need for a comprehensive national database of cricket statistics has once again come to the fore. Although Sri Lanka Cricket maintains a museum of cricket artefacts, it lacks a dedicated division to preserve historical records, documents and statistical material.
While online platforms cover most records from the past three decades, many Test-playing nations have carefully preserved their cricketing history for future generations. Sri Lanka’s earlier records, however, remain largely uncollected and unarchived. Until such time, TM Sampath will continue to be recognised as the oldest Sri Lankan cricketer to score a first class century.