John Rockwood

Lieutenant Colonel Dr John Rajathurai Rockwood, VD (29 October 1881 – 2 December 1935) was the leading administrator and patron of cricket in Ceylon from 1914 to 1935.

[2] While still in his teens Rockwood was one of the founders of the Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club in Colombo, and was its first honorary secretary and one of its opening bowlers.

[1] He played a leading part in the formation of a committee of Colombo cricket clubs in 1913, which took most of the game's administration away from the British settlers.

[1] In 1920 Rockwood went to England at his own expense to try to persuade Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) to send a team to Ceylon.

[10] In December 1930 he brought over the Maharaj Kumar of Vizianagram's XI, a strong team which included many of the best Indian players as well as the English champion batsmen Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe.

[12] Rockwood was also at various times the president of the bodies governing football, hockey, swimming and athletics in Ceylon.