Clubs strike shield for batsman who collapsed and a player who helped saved his life

The first Chapple Weerakoon Shield match was played last Saturday, 12 months after Bihan Weerakoon had a cardiac arrest in the changerooms.

Bihan Weerakoon and Ryan Chapple show off the shield with umpire Ray Noon.

Bihan Weerakoon wishes he could say he made a lot of runs that day.

Then he could joke that he was prepared to almost die for his team.

But his time at the crease was brief. He was bowled for six in the Sub-District Fourth XI match against Oakleigh.

Off the Endeavour Hills batsman went, walking from the ground to the changerooms, where he discussed his dismissal with a couple of teammates and the situation of the game.

Weerakoon – “B’’ to everyone at Endeavour Hills – took off his equipment and went to change into shorts.

Then he collapsed.

What he remembers next is being flat on his back, looking up at the ceiling in the changerooms and hearing urgent voices around him.

He didn’t know it, but he had suffered a cardiac arrest. And for about 10 minutes his teammates and opponents had worked to keep him alive, with Oakleigh player Ryan Chapple carrying out CPR.

Bihan Weerakoon on the attack for Endeavour Hills’ First XI team.

The incident came at Oakleigh’s Scammell Reserve ground in February last year.

Endeavour Hills stalwart Jay Stent was in the rooms when Weerakoon collapsed and was immediately at his side. Justin Merlino rushed out to get help and to call paramedics.

Hills captain Brett Kirchner alerted the umpires that ‘B’ was in trouble in the rooms and perhaps the match should be stopped.

Chapple sprinted off the field to see what he could do.

Endeavour Hills president Arun Rajendran, who played in the match, recalled: “At that moment Oakleigh and Endeavour Hills teamed up to perform CPR. Tristan Ward was speaking with the paramedics keeping them updated with the situations and counting his respiratory rate, Phil Sankey was in charge of the defibrillator, Jay Stent was holding B’s hand and continuing to talk to B and of course Ryan Chapple did the CPR work.’’

When it became apparent ‘B’ had been stabilised, Rajendran said, “Ryan came out of our changerooms in tears and said the words, ‘He is going to be OK fellas’ and embraced everyone one of us with a hand shake and a hug.’’

People were shaken – “We thought we’d lost him,’’ Rajendran said – and the match was abandoned.

A few days later, Weerakoon, soon to turn 40 and the father of two young daughters, underwent a triple heart bypass.

Last Saturday, 12 months after the drama in the changerooms, the Oakleigh and Endeavour Hills came together for another match and to play for the inaugural Chapple Weerakoon Shield.

It will be awarded after all Fourth XI games between the clubs.

Endeavour Hills took possession of it, with Chapple (30 runs) and Weerakoon (27) both good contributors for their sides.

Weerakoon said he would be eternally grateful to Chapple and the other players who helped him through the ordeal.

He said he was “very, very lucky’’.

When he saw Chapple last Saturday, “I tried my best not to break down’’.

“I was all right. I was emotional thinking about it. I gave him a big hug before and after the game. Yeah, behind all the smiles and stuff I was very emotional,’’ he said.

Endeavour Hills president Arun Rajendran.

Last season had been Weerakoon’s first back in cricket after a few years away from the game.

He said the day he took ill had started as “any normal Saturday morning for me and for the family’’.

“We did the usual,’’ he said.

With his wife taking his daughters to dancing, he nipped down to the shops to get some groceries, arriving at the game as it started.

After his short innings, his main memory is of “the commotion of everyone telling me stay awake’’.

“When I opened my eyes, I’m like, ‘What am I doing on the floor?’ he said.

“It took me a little bit of time for everything to register, be able to speak properly again and respond. Hospital straight after that.’’

Weerakoon said he had been trying to keep active before the attack, which is way he went back to cricket and to Endeavour Hills, where in his best year he played in the Sub-District Fuirst XI team.

In the year since he’s taken care to focus on his health. He’s eating better, walking and of course playing for the Hills, alongside some of the players who were there when he most needed them 12 months ago.