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Perera: Small man who walked tall for Royal

This is a story of a small man who walked tall. The year was 1992 and it was the third day of the 113th Royal-Thomian encounter. Generally, it is the Thomian 'grit' that is talked of. This time, this little Royalist proved that he was made of sterner stuff. In the first two days of this encounter, the Royal batsmen had made a hash of it. After going through the entire season unbeaten and scoring over 200 runs in eleven of the fifteen matches they played, (258 for 6 dec, 227 for 6 dec, 208,212,216,247 for 6 dec, 243 for 6 dec, 204 for 6 dec, 345 for 6 dec, 305 for 5 dec and 448 for 8.) the Royal batting did not look brittle at all. In the first two days of the match, the Thomian bowlers bundled out this great batting machine for a mere 145 runs in their first innings. S. Thomas' responded with an impressive 328 for 9 declared.

Opener Manoj Mendis (124) and tailender Dharshana Bodiyabaduge (55) had thumped the Royal bowlers. Royal batting a second time were 54 for 4 at close - their top class batsmen back in the pavilion for a second time without bothering the scorers too much. The writing was on the wall. 129 runs to avoid an innings defeat - six wickets left, most of them bowlers. Come the third day and not very many Royalists (young or old) walked down Maitland Place with much conviction that they would go back home unhurt. They were all trooping in early, for an early end to the 113th encounter. On the other-hand, the story went, the Thomians had put the Champaign to chill, and the biriyani to cook. The previous night, however, on a sleepless bed lay one of the overnight batsmen, the diminutive Gamini Perera, a third year coloursman. He was not out on 00. On Friday evening (Day 2), he had batted for 18 agonising minutes with Suresh Wijemanne without scoring a single run. Gamini Perera originally came into the side as a left arm leg spinner and had blossomed into a capable middle order batsman.

That season, he already had two centuries to his credit against Dharmarajah ( 112) and Wesley (152) ( Incidentally, that year marked the Royal-Wesley centenary encounter which is played for the Sir Frank Gunasekera Trophy).When Perera and Wijemanne walked into the middle on the third day, the Thomians were naturally upbeat already having planned out their victory celebrations. The victory badges were already printed and they were ready for a short day's work. But, the glorious uncertainties of cricket were to follow. At 10 a.m. Perera took charge of the crease at one end but 16 runs later lost Wijemanne caught by Gimantha Jayasinghe off the bowling of medium pacer Mohanna Marzook who had turned scourge of the Royal batting in their second inning's.

At that point Perera took control of the situation and saw to it that wicket keeper Zulki Hamid (17) stayed with him to put on a 60-run stand for the sixth wicket.

In this session, it was a case of Royal hanging for dear life. Gamini Perera had hit ten fours by the time he reached his half-century. He kept the 10,000 odd spectators enthralled. Instead of fighting with his back to the wall, Perera took the game into the Thomian camp with an array of attacking strokes.

The seventh-wicket stand between Perera and Nalliah Rajan (28) yielded 88 runs. By the time Rajan got out, the Royal second innings total had reached 259.

Tailenders Kanishka Herath and Haren Samarasekera too flashed their blades, Gamini Perera's batting giving them the confidence to play their shots. They added 43 and 48 runs for the 8th and 9th wickets respectively.

Finally, when Gamini Perera got himself run out Royal had reached a total of 306 for 9 and Perera had made a personal contribution of 144 magnificent runs. Perera had kept the Thomians at bay for six long hours and eight more minutes. It's worthwhile noting how Perera paced his innings. Perera batted while the Royalists scored 255 runs. He hit 10 out of his twenty fours by the time he reached his first fifty. From 50 to hundred Perera hit only five more fours. Perera scored 69 runs before lunch. Between lunch and tea he added only 32 runs to his score to go into tea at 101 not out.

His scoring rates were 50 in 98 minutes, 100 in 195 minutes. After the departure of Perera, the last Royal pair of Samarasekera and Elvitigala rubbed more salt into the Thomian wounds by seeing them on to a total of 351 in their second innings with Samarasekera helping himself to a fine half century. All in all it became a game that was a game that all Royalists would look back with pride. Perera had helped his side and his school from the ignominy of a crushing big match defeat. He earned the nick-name 'Gutty Gamini' and went on to captain Royal the following year.

It was a match no Royalists will forget, the same way no Thomian would forget the centenary match. Memories are made of these.

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