A look back at Battle of the Blues of the Hills seven decades ago
Trinity College, Kandy of Asgiriya fame is about the most outstanding educational institute which has contributed immensely for the progress of high fine education in Sri Lanka ranking with that of Royal, S. Thomas’, Ananda, Nalanda, Mahinda and St. Anthony’s College Katugastota (SACK) amongst other leading educational institutions. St. Anthony’s College, Kandy will be meeting their traditional cricketing rival Trinity College, Kandy in a game of cricket on March 13 and 14 at the Asgiriya ground.The 2nd World War of 1939 to 1945 brought a lot of discredit to SACK limiting their sporting activities to be confined to the Sri Rahula College play grounds thus enabling other institutions to dominate over SACK. SACK therefore had to meet TCK at Asgiriya regularly up to 1947, facing defeat after defeat.
With resumption of SACK back in position in 1946, the College authorities took a bold step forward and reintroduced all sporting activities and what is more appointed the late Mr. John Hallangoda, the famed Trinitian as the Anthonian coach. With this new setup, SACK bounced back to prominence and started their 1948 season with a bang beating Kingswood College, Dharmaraja College and St. Sylvester’s College quite easily. Their first Colombo encounter was with SBC which was won easily by SACK due entirely to the bowling efforts of the late P. Abeysinghe and the late Dickie Dunuwille who took eight wickets. Dickie Dunuwille’s next magical performance was against St. Peter’s College won by the Anthonians by a whisker when Dickie Dunuwille took six wickets for 7 runs. SACK was unbeaten having drawn their SJC encounter due entirely to the efforts of their spin bowlers.
SACK’s final and rival match was played at Katugastota with TCK who were right on top of the order, having won most of their fixtures and were sure of a win. TCK was studded with stars like Eustace Rulach, Lala Wadsworth their captain and two outstanding personalities in terms of today’s reckoning such as the late Laksman Kadirgamar and Laksman Jayakody. Their opening pair of Sirimanne and Pilapitiya was on top of the order. All these mighty cricketers had to eat humble pie when they met D.D. as an off spin bowler in the 34th encounter dominated by the Antonians led by the late Lionel Pamunuwa who had late S.V.A. Samaradasa, T.K. Hannan, late T.M.A. Cooray, late C.A.G. Dissanayake, late Dickie Dunuwille, Edmond Cooray, Pararajasingham and the rest of the XI as his assistance. What is morale boosting is the fact that SACK as under dogs won against the mighty Trinitians after 18 years and Dickie Dunuwille the all-rounder scored 27 not out with two sixes and took two wickets in the 1st innings and 5 wickets in the 2nd innings for 10 runs to outclass the Trinitians left, right and centre.
SACK should be thankful to their Antonian Principal the late Fr. D.A. Rosati, the late Fr. Mackay, the late Mr. Kanniah etc., for their efforts in producing such a formidable side in such a short time.
May this revelation of hidden facts propel other interested personalities to present their point of view concerning the other cricketing episodes of the past related to this subject.
Luk De Coelo
Ashok J. Dunuwille