Ben Navaratne

{{short description|Sri Lankan cricketer}}

{{Use Sri Lankan English|date=December 2022}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Ben Navaratne

| image = Ben Navaratne of Ceylon.png

| caption = Navaratne in 1947

| imagesize = 150px

| country = Sri Lanka

| fullname = Benedict Navaratne

| birth_date = 1916

| birth_place = Ceylon

| death_date = 15 February 1979 (aged 62 or 63)

| death_place = Kandy, Sri Lanka

| batting =

| bowling =

| role = Wicketkeeper

| club1 =

| year1 =

| columns = 1

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 16

| runs1 = 304

| bat avg1 = 16.88

| 100s/50s1 = 0/1

| top score1 = 58

| hidedeliveries = true

| catches/stumpings1 = 13/12

| date = 25 September 2017

| source = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/26/26354/26354.html CricketArchive

}}

Benedict Navaratne (1916 – 9 June 1979) was a cricketer who kept wicket for Ceylon in first-class cricket from 1940 to 1952.

He toured with the Ceylon team to India in 1940-41 and Pakistan in 1949-50. He had a reputation for standing up to the stumps to all but the fastest bowlers.{{cite news| work=Cricinfo | first=Sa’adi |last=Thawfeeq |accessdate=25 September 2017| title=Batsman-keeper or keeper-batsman?|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/450888.html|date=8 March 2010}}{{cite news| work=Daily News | first=Elmo|last=Rodrigopulle |accessdate=25 September 2017| title=When 'BIG BEN' struck a chord on Sir Don|url=http://dailynews.lk/2017/07/13/features/121768/when-%E2%80%98big-ben%E2%80%99-struck-chord-sir-don|date=13 July 2017}} His obituary in the 1980 Wisden, shortly before Sri Lanka achieved Test status, called him "Sri Lanka's greatest wicket-keeper".Wisden 1980, p. 1151.

Playing in a one-day match against the touring Australian team in early 1948, Navaratne's keeping earned high praise from the visitors. Sir Donald Bradman is reported to have said that he would like to have Navaratne in his team.{{cite web |last1=Krishnamohan |first1=Theviyanthan |title=Knights of the Dawn: Ben Navaratne, a keeper Bradman wanted in his team |url=https://www.cricketmachan.com/cricstories/knights-dawn-ben-navaratne-keeper-bradman-wanted-team/ |website=Cricket Machan |access-date=11 January 2021}}