Hector Durairatnam – pioneer of Malaysian cricket

Sentul, in Malaysia’s capital city of Kuala Lumpur, was once a bustling railway town and a nursery for some of the country’s finest sporting talent. Among those who rose to prominence was Hector Durairatnam, a cricketer, mentor, engineer and builder of the sport.

Hector (main image third from left), not only captained the Malaysian national team but also shaped the infrastructure of cricket across the country, having played a key role in the construction of Bayu Emas Cricket Ground, UKM Bangi Cricket Oval, TPCA Cricket Ground in Kajang and the Kinrara Cricket Oval – which, unfortunately, has since been lost to development. All the ovals were built to international standards with turf wickets – rare and valuable assets in the region.

Hector was born into a family that breathed sport. His father, R. E. Durairatnam, was the Selangor tennis champion of the 1930s, while his mother’s brother, also called Robert, played cricket for Victoria Institution and YMCA before serving as vice-president of the Malaysian Cricket Association (MCA).

“I was blessed to be born in a sports-loving family. Sentul was a locality steeped in love for sports and had facilities for cricket, hockey and tennis,” said Hector, 84.

“Sentul was a nursery for cricketers and hockey players like the great Michael ‘Mike’ Shepherdson, his brother Christie, and Gurucharan Singh, to name a few. They were my heroes growing up.”

Hector honed his cricket skills at the Railway Ground, MBS Sentul Ground and the Postals Ground, where many boys his age learned to bowl, bat and dream.

“That was our backyard. It was there that my love for the game began. It is no surprise that at one time, there were seven Sentul boys in the national cricket team,” said Hector, who also played hockey for Selangor and Kedah.

“If anything, cricket influenced my hockey. I was able to cross the ball much like a cover drive in cricket. I picked up tennis when I was 26 and found that it helped certain strokes in cricket.”

A star emerges

Hector’s cricketing career took flight at Victoria Institution. It was there that he etched his name in the record books by becoming the first schoolboy in many years to score a century against traditional rivals Methodist Boys’ School (MBS). The innings earned him a place in the Selangor state team – the only schoolboy in a side packed with seasoned players, including his mentors, the Shepherdson brothers and Gurucharan.

“They encouraged and mentored me to be a better cricketer. It was because of them that I eventually became captain of the national team in 1974. It was a position I held until 1979,” said Hector, who was a civil engineer.

“I have many fond memories of my time with the national team. It gave me the chance to play against some of the world’s best players.”

Among the greats Hector faced were Sir Garfield Sobers, B.S. Chandrasekhar, G. Viswanath, S. Venkatraghavan, Derek Underwood, Polly Umrigar and Imran Khan. His encounters with them offered lessons in skill and humility.

“Polly Umrigar was a slow-medium bowler. It was the first time I ever faced a bowler who seemed to make the ball part. Luckily for me, after bowling two balls, he had a groin injury and had to stop,” said Hector, who also served as technical director for several Asian Cricket Council tournaments.

“I faced Imran Khan at the Worcestershire Ground. He was only 17. He wasn’t fast at that time – 1971 – but boy, could he swing the ball. I survived four deliveries, but didn’t score any runs.

“I thought my eyesight was the problem until one of the professionals in the Worcester team told me that late swing does that to you. The counter is to play the one coming in to you.”

Among the highlights of Hector’s playing career was his performance in the Saudara Cup, a prestigious three-day fixture against Singapore that began in 1970. It was the oldest international cricket tournament in Southeast Asia, and for many, the heartbeat of Malaysian cricket.

Hector excelled when facing Malaysia’s neighbour and once took 12 wickets – 6 for 47 in the first innings and 6 for 52 in the second innings. However, the competition has not been held since 2016.

Today, Hector views the cricket scene with a mix of pride and concern. While MCA has earned praise for its organisation of international tournaments, he believes too much emphasis is placed on shorter formats, often at the expense of long-form, developmental cricket.

“Putting sentiments aside, the Saudara Cup brought out the best in a cricketer and taught him how to play the long game,” explained Hector. “Now, there is too much emphasis on the shorter form of cricket.”

Among Hector’s other highlights was his unbeaten 111 against Sri Lanka in 1968, notching 50 or more runs in five of his six encounters with Hong Kong, and top scoring for LiGers (a combined Malaysia and Singapore team) in its tour of England, where he scored 82 runs on the first day and 72 on the second.

Malaysia’s decline

It saddens Hector to see cricket’s popularity decline.

“Two things led to the slide in popularity. Many schools stopped playing cricket, and communities like Sentul lost the use of the playing fields to development,” said Hector.

“The MCA should shoulder part of the blame by deciding to hold the Inter-Club and Inter-State matches on the turf wickets of Royal Selangor Club and Kilat Club.

“When I was growing up, we didn’t mind playing on matting wickets which were laid in the centre of a football field. Countries like India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka allow youngsters to play softball cricket in any corner or space. Many of their national players learnt to play this way.”

Softball cricket is a simplified, shorter and more accessible version of the traditional game, designed for maximum participation and inclusivity.

Hector said that when he was young, there were at least 26 grounds in and around Kuala Lumpur. The disappearance of the pitches pushed him to pen an article – Where have all the cricket fields gone? for an MCA seminar. He was moved to write the article after his sons – Navin, Alvin and Reuben – were disappointed by the lack of school cricket.

“It was a great joy to see my three boys follow in my footsteps. Considering the lack of matches to hone their skills, they have done well,” said the proud father.

“I used to correct their grip and stance and strokes as we practised in the front driveway. I instilled the qualities needed and inculcated a love of the game in them.

“My eldest and youngest sons, Navin and Reuben, made it to the national team, while Alvin represented Terengganu and Kuala Lumpur.”

Hector is also disheartened by what is happening inside MCA.

In April, MCA held an emergency general meeting (EGM) where 11 state affiliates voted no confidence in president Mohammed Iqbal Ali Kassim Ali, criticising his unilateral leadership. Iqbal resigned but later withdrew his resignation, claiming the EGM was illegitimate and part of a coup.

He alleged corruption and lodged reports with multiple authorities, including the International Cricket Council and Malaysian anti-corruption bodies. Despite this, a new leadership faction held a general meeting on April 27, reinstating former president Mahinda Vallipuram.

The turmoil comes amid increased scrutiny of Malaysian cricket and the allocation of RM1 million in the 2025 national budget for cricket development. The leadership dispute within the national body remains unresolved due to ongoing legal proceedings.

“As a player, lover and follower of Malaysian cricket, it saddens me to hear about the shenanigans. It seems to me that the officials are only interested in the financial strength of the association,” said Hector.

“Where is the development and promotion of the game among Malaysians? Start with the schools and communities. We need more grounds – not necessarily state-of-the-art.

“I want to see more schools playing cricket again, and for MCA to provide coaches to help the teachers. We must encourage communities to provide spaces for kids to play softball cricket, and to start using football fields or open spaces to encourage matches.”

Lessons from cricket

Throughout his career, Hector has passed down several key principles to young cricketers:

• Practise with purpose and often.

• Survive the beginning of an innings – scoring gets easier with time.

• As a bowler, aim to make the batsman play every ball.

• Prioritise fielding, as that is where matches are won.

• His advice to aspiring players is simple but profound: “You can’t score runs from the pavilion.”

Having given more than 70 years to Malaysian cricket as a player, captain, coach, administrator and builder, Hector remains humble and, above all, hopeful that one day the sounds of bat on ball will again echo across school fields and community spaces.

Main image: Hector with his sons (from left), Alvin, Navin, and Reuben, and grandchildren, Lucas (left) and Shane.