Malcolm Perera started his cricket career at St Sylvesters College, Kandy, as an opening batsman in the late sixties and had grace and style in his batting whilst scoring consistently. He also played hockey for his school and later for the Kandy District.
His first cricket coaching assignment was at St Sylvesters College and changed the complexion of the game in that school. The school progressed at cricket under his stewardship and their performances helped them in a big way to get fixtures from bigger schools like St Sebastian's College, St Peters' College for example, a change from playing lesser known schools. He was the cricket coach of Ishak Sahabdeen who later became the first double international from St Sylvester's College having represented the country at cricket and hockey.
His talents as a cricket coach was spotted by no less than the Australian cricket coaches Lee Lenham and Peter Philpott who in separate coaching assignments in Sri Lanka found Malcolm Perera a fine coach who could identify talents and sharpen their skills and could influence and motivate anyone to give out his best. He also topped the marks in the coaches examination.
From St Sylvesters College he moved over to Kingswood College, a school which was faring very poorly at school cricket at that time.
The previous season they had the dismal record of recording seven outright defeats. But with his coaching skills, he was able to stop this rot and they were able to hold their own against any strong opposition thus giving a new dimension to cricket at Kingswood.
He was at this time employed at the Physical Education Department of University of Peradeniya. An advertisement in the local press for the post of Director Coaching at the then Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka appeared.
Though one of the requirements was that the applicant should have played cricket at national level, which he did not possess but he still applied in a 'hit or miss' attempt. If he was not selected he had nothing to lose but he was confident that he could get over this problems with his other coaching qualification and persuasive ways. Though many national cricketers applied to this post but Malcolm Perera forged above them and was appointed to the post.
What was most important was not the level of cricket you had played but your coaching skills and proven track record. Having held the post of Director Coaching of Sri Lanka Cricket for nearly 10 years, he went over to Bangladesh to assume duties as the Junior National Cricket coach where he once again stamped his class.
Some of his products like Tamim Iqbal, Kaushik Mortasa, Mohamed Ashraful, Naim Islam, Javid Islam, Hafeez Iqbal, have made it to the Bangladesh National cricket team. He also had a coaching stint at Malaysia at national level.
On his return to the country, he was appointed Manager Coaching at Sri Lanka Cricket and also later to the Cricket Development section as well, where he contributed immensely for the development of cricket especially in the provinces. No coach in Kandy could match his record.
He has also coached and captained Kandy Cricket Club and Kandy Youths cricket club at Sara Trophy cricket before the days of the Premier League.
His return to Kandy will benefit cricket in the hill capital in a big way when he resumes his coaching of the cricketers from the kiddies level.
