SACK colours revived after fifteen years

By Aubrey Kuruppu

Premalal de Silva

A much looked-forward to event, the Colours Night of St. Anthony's College, Katugastota is being revived after a lapse of fifteen years and will take place on Saturday 19th January at the College Hall at 5 p.m.

Credit for buckling down to the job of organizing such an onerous task is due to the old Boys Association of the College (the Parent Body) and in particular to Rev. Fr Titus Rodrigo, the President, Dickie Dunuwille, the Chairman, Anton Perera, the Secretary, Chandra Mahawattage, the Coordinating Secretary and the rest of the Committee.

The celebrations will be presided over by Premalal de Silva, one of the finest cricketers to emerge from the portals of St Anthony's. Premalal had the distinction of captaining all the age group teams at cricket, making his debut in the senior team in 1969, he turned out for it for five years, leading it in his last year (1973).

That Anthonian team of 1973 participated in thirteen games and remained unbeaten, the skipper who started out as an opening bowler occupied the pivotal first drop position in 1973 and made a thoroughly good fist of it. His "magnum opus", if one can so term it, came in the Big Match where he contributed 148 in 121 balls, with 13 fours and seven sixes. The then Principal Fr. Aiden de Silva was moved to say that the skipper’s "swash-buckling innings would be remembered for many years."

Premalal, who was picked to represent the central zone team against the visiting Australian schools team in 1972, won the coveted Eagle for his feats of derring do. In his last year he won the prestigious Fr D.C. Mackey Memorial Trophy which is awarded to the boy who by performance, example and good behaviour brings credit to the school through sports.

The Chairman Dickie Dunuwille, who is up to his gills in organizational work, feels that this colours night will be one to remember.