A keen tussle with vintage cricket expected for the ‘Big One’
Both skippers with the D.S. Senanayake Memorial Shield
The ‘Battle of the Blues’ is more of a tradition than a game of cricket that is enacted in the middle. It’s an excuse for those who are residing overseas to make at least a week’s break from their day-to-day drudgery and be with the boys. For almost all it’s a reunion and a travel back in time without the aid of a time machine. Yes, of course simultaneously, it’s going to be a gruelling encounter when the schools Royal and S. Thomas’ test their cricketing skills for the 139th occasion. The contest will take place once again at the Sinhalese Sports Club grounds on 8,9, and 10 March.
This is the second longest unbroken school cricket event in the world after St Peter’s College and Prince Alfred College in Adelaide, Australia which began in 1878.
The spirit is high in the Thomian camp with the confident side spearheaded by third year player Dellon Peiris having remained unbeaten in the run up to this special event of the two great institutions.
However cricket is a glorious game of uncertainties as no one would be able to predict an outcome till the last over is completed, which reminds of the match in 2016 where Royal coming into the game as the underdogs pulled off a sensational victory under the leadership of Geshanth Panditharatne.
The Thomians have played 19 matches recording six outright wins against Dharmapala, Zahira, Maliyadeva, Prince of Wales, Nalanda and Lumbini MV with the rest ending in a draw.
Thomian skipper and allrounder Peiris has scored over 400 runs and taken 61 wickets will bank his hopes in the batting department on his three centurions, subject to the final playing squad, Maneesha Rupasinghe, Manthila Wijeratne and Kishan Munasinghe.
Right hand batsman Maneesha is the top scorer of the side having made over 650 runs while Kishan has over 400 runs to his name. The other batsman in form is left hand batsman Sithara Hapuhinna with over 550 runs to his name while skipper Dellon and another allrounder Dulith Gunaratne’s will have their contributions for the side to make a challenging score.
Left arm spin duo Shannon Fernando the sides’ top wicket-taker and skipper Dellon will be mainstay in their bowling department. The duo shares 130 wickets between them. They also hope that the other left arm spinner Kalana Perera also would be fit along with right arm pacie Thevin Eriyagama.
Royal College
Royal despite a few hiccups, enjoyed a fairly good season under the leadership of third year player Pasindu Sooriyabandara. They started their campaign on the wrong foot but, soon over came the blues to be a better combination. At the same time skipper Sooriyabandara has accumulated over 1200 runs inclusive of two centuries and ten half tons.
During the season Royal played twenty games in all. From the 20 outings Royal were successful in registering outright wins over Kegalu MV, Dharmarajah, Sri Piyaratne Padukka, Dharmaloka Kelaniya and Wesley. They started the season with an outright defeat against St. John’s Jaffna.
Sooriyabandara will be the man for the Thomian bowlers to keep an eye and the skipper has six other players from whom he can rely or to be precise to bolster the Royal score in the likes of left hand batsman Kavindu Madarasinghe (750), Kamil Mishara (725), Tharindu Senaratne (697), Bhagya Dissanayake (685) and Gayan Dissanayake (600).
Himesh Ramanayake the son of former Sri Lanka bowler Champaka Ramanayake has scored over 750 runs inclusive of a century and two half tons.
The bowling will be spearheaded by the left and right arm spin pair Manula Perera who is their’ top wicket-taker with over 80 scalps and Kamil Mishara who has taken over 50 wickets and the duo along with Gayan Dissanayake have combined well.
The tally in the series is 35 wins for Royal coming out winners in two years under the leadership of Geeshanth Pandithratne and 34 for S. Thomas’ having recorded their last win in the year 2007 when the side was led by Ashan Peiris.
S. Thomas’ College
The two teams fight out the match for the D.S. Senanayake memorial shield and the match is sponsored by one of the island’s top mobile phone service provider –Dialog Axiata.
The two teams have some records to be surpassed:
Royal’s Sumithra Warnakulasuriya has the highest individual scorer with 197, which he made in 1980 and Duleep Mendis holds the Thomian record of 184 made in 1972. The partnership of 254 runs for the third wicket between Anushka Polonowita and Yasas Dharmaratne made in 1996 stands as the best for any wicket in the series.
Royal holds the record of the best score of the series which is 432 for 9 declared achieved in 2006 eclipsing the best of 388 for 9 held by the Thomians.
However the Thomians though having the edge cannot afford to take things for granted as in the last big match defeat they underwent saw the two sides scoring posting scores of 328 and 308 and then the Thomians was bowled out for 119 leaving Royal just 140 runs for victory which they achieved for the loss of six wickets to record a stunning win.
So either of the team cannot stand on their laurels and take for granted the performance of this season. However the supporters of the two teams are assured three days of entertaining cricket as no quarters will be asked or given and a keen tussle is no doubt on the cards.
Royal College
Prashan Silva, Kavindu Pathiratne, Bhagya Dissanayake, Gayan Dissanayake, Kamil Mishara, Lahiru Madusanka, Dimal Wijesekera, Sharala Gunathilake, Themal Bandara, Kawhan Kulasuriya, Thevindu Senaratne, Yuvin Hearth, Pasindu Sooriyabandara (Captain), Kavindu Madarasinghe (Vice Captain), Manula Perera, Ahan Wickramasinghe
S. Thomas’ College
Thevin Eriyagama, Kalana Perera, Dulith Gunaratne, Dellon Peiris, Sithara Hapuhinna, Manthila Wijeratne, Dimithra Wimalasooriya, Kishan Munasinghe, Shannon Fernando, Semal Samarawickrama, Mohomad Azam, Tehan Shafter, Manisha Rupasinghe, Shalin Demel, Ryan Fernando, Vishuth Perera