Old Royalists win Olcott Cricket Trophy for sixth time in the US
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Royal College old boys team members celebrate winning the 14th annual Col. Henry Steel Olcott Trophy at Tall Timbers Park in New Jersey, USA
The annual East Coast Cricket Festival, organised by the Ananda College Old Boys Association, East Coast (ACOBA), took place last week for the 14th consecutive year, this time under the patronage of Dr. Rohan Perera, Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United Nations, and his wife, Therese.
The old boys from Royal College, led by Ruchira Jayasooriya, overcame Maris Stella College in a thrilling final to win the Colonel Henry Steel Olcott Trophy for the sixth time. The festival, with over 650 in attendance, took place at the Tall Timbers Park in New Jersey.
The tournament featured teams from Ananda, Nalanda, Royal, S. Thomas’, St. Joseph’s, St. Peter’s, Trinity, St. John’s Jaffna, Mahanama, and Maris Stella colleges. The first 15 round-robin games featured high quality cricket at an extremely competitive level. The semi-finals saw Maris Stella defeating Ananda and Royal prevailing in a tight contest over Nalanda, to reach the tournament finals
S. Thomas’ has won the trophy twice while Ananda, St. Peter’s, Nalanda, and Maris Stella Colleges have won once each. In 2009 and 2017, the matches were abandoned due to heavy rains.
Since its inception in 2006, the cricket festival, the brainchild of three Anandians, Kheminda Jayawardena, Lasitha Abeysekera and Samantha Rajapakse, has evolved into one of the biggest annual Sri Lankan community gatherings in the Tri State area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
During his welcome speech, Professor Chandana Goonetilleke, the President of the Old Boys Association, expressed his gratitude to all Anandians who willingly sacrificed their personal interests to ensure the success of the event.
Ambassador Dr. Rohan Perera (left) with Professor Chandana Goonetilleke, President of Ananda College Old Boys Association, at the East Coast Cricket Festival held at the Tall Timbers Park in New Jersey
The annual cricket festival has gained popularity within the Sri Lankan expatriate community not only because of keenly contested cricket that enables friendly camaraderie within old boys, but also since it has become a truly Sri Lankan family event.
Many carnival booths provided opportunities for children to experience and enjoy traditional Sri Lankan games, mini golf, and face-painting, among many other activities and also traditional Sri Lankan cuisines.
The Jersey Ceylanians, a band comprising of Sri Lankan expatriates from New Jersey provided entertainment with popular Sri Lankan songs for the enjoyment of those in attendance.
Visitors also had access to free medical screening from volunteer expatriate doctors that belonged to the Sri Lankan Medical Association of North America, and provided free blood-pressure and blood glucose tests, along with valuable medical advice. Charitable organisations, such as the Samadhi Buddhist Foundation of New Jersey and a group of children helping animal shelters, held very successful fund raisers to support their cause.
Ambassador Mrs. Loreen Bannis-Roberts, the Permanent Representative from the Dominica was among the distinguished guests for the second successive year.
According to Dr. Wije Kottahachchi, a former Anandian who facilitated the dignitary’s visit, Dominica is the latest country to establish diplomatic relations with Sri Lanka. Following last year’s visit, Mrs. Bannis-Roberts invited a team of Sri Lankan expatriates to compete with the Dominican cricket team during their country’s national celebrations in New York. Further, she expressed hope that this tradition will continue between the two cricket loving nations for years to come.