Legendary fast bowler M.N. Samsudeen passes away at 88

WESLEY College and Sri Lanka has lost a legendary fast bowler with the passing away of Mohammed Nakeem Samsudeen popularly known as M.N. Samsudeen at the age of 88 after a short illness yesterday.

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Samsudeen was renowned for becoming the first Ceylonese (now Sri Lankan) to take all ten wickets in an innings against a visiting team and for playing in two different teams on the same day.

Samsudeen's unique feat took place in September 1960 against the touring Pakistan Eaglets team at the SSC grounds. Playing for Combined Services, he dismissed the Eaglets for 40 on a pitch affected by rain. Bowling at left-arm medium-pace his final analysis was 14.2-3-26-10—all in the space of 85 minutes before lunch. All ten dismissals were through catches. The Eaglets team comprised several Pakistan national cricketers like Ijaz Butt, Shafqat Rana, Saeed Ahmed, Shuja-uddin and Munir Malik.

Combined Services were dismissed for 98 with Samsudeen contributing a useful 20 with the bat. In their second innings the Eaglets scored 91-1 when rain put an end to play. The solitary wicket was taken by Samsudeen who ended with figures of 12-7-15-1.