Teams evenly balanced, keenly contested game expected at 146th Royal-Thomian
It’s celebration time again for the young and old boys of the two top cricket playing schools Royal College and S. Thomas’ College, as they will converge when their young cricketers battle it out in the 146th Battle of the Blues big match over three days beginning from March 6 at the SSC ground, fought out for D.S. Senanayake Memorial Shield.
The encounter is deemed to be the second oldest inter-schools match in the world after St. Peter’s College and Prince Alfred College of Adelaide, Australia, which began in 1878. The Battle of the Blues also has the honour of staving off two World Wars and the recent Covid-19 Pandemic, which did not prevent the game from being played.
Royal College
(Seated from left): Yasindu Dissanayake, Anura Prashanth (MIC), Nishantha Silva (Vice Principal), Rehan Peiris, Krishantha Silva (Principal), Ramiru Perera (Captain), Gamini Perera (Coach), Charith Fernando (Asst. Coach), Vimukthi Perera (Asst. Coach), Ranuka Malaviarachchi (Standing from left first row): Tharul Ampemchotti, Shane Abeyratne, Thevindu Wewalwala, Vimath Dinsara, Isula Geeganage, Ryan Sugathadasa, Yenula Bandara, Dushen Udawela (Standing from left second row): Sandul Abeywardena, Sehandu Sooriyaarachchi, Chanithu Kankanamage, Khalid Rahimdeen, Hirun Liyanaarchchi, Anush Polonowita, Kuchila Ranmandala
Ramiru Perera (Captain)
This time out, the scales are in favour of the S. Thomas’ who have remained unbeaten while on the other hand, Royal have been unable to make any impression and underwent back-to-back defeats to Trinity this season. Two years ago, to recollect on what occurred, it was the Thomians who were hot favourites to pull off the game as they came into the field with high hopes after a successful inter-school cricket season. But it was not to be as underdogs Royal pulled off a well-deserved win by 160 runs which saw them chalking up their 36th win of the series against the 35 by Thomians. The two teams, this time out, are evenly balanced and no doubt a closely contested game could be expected. The Thomians are led by Kavindu Dias while Royal will be led by Ramiru Perera.
The Thomians has a strong batting lineup comprising of three centurions. Deneth Goonewardena is their top scorer and has made over 750 runs inclusive of two tons and three half tons with a best of 119 against Richmond. The other two centurions are Avinash Fernando, who has scored over 450 runs with a best of 122, and Mithila Charles, who has scored over 400 runs. Apart from these three batters the Thomians will bank on Jaden Amaraweera, Sadev Soysa and skipper Kavindu Dias, who will be expected to give their utmost to keep the scoreboard ticking.
The Thomian bowling will be spearheaded by Aaron de Silva and Abishek Palhawadana, who together share 80 wickets between them with support expected from Goonewardena, skipper Dias, Darien Diego and Anshen de Silva.
S. Thomas’ College
(Standing from left): Mahith Rajapakse, Aaron de Silva, Minon Warnasuriya, Ayman Anzary, Jaden Amaraweera, Anshane de Silva, Mithila Charles, Arith Adikaram, Chanuth Eheliyagoda, Yowel Warnakulasuriya, Shanil Perera, Sachithra Gunasinghe, Avinash Fernando, Nethun Withanage, Reshon Solomons (Seated from left): Darien Diego, Dineth Goonewardena, Kavindu Dias (Captain), Sadev Soysa, Abheeth Paliahawadana
Kavindu Dias (Captain)
Royal will pin their hopes on top scorer Rehan Peiris, who is their top scorer. He has made over 650 runs inclusive of a ton and five half tons. Peiris has succeeded to continue his form of last year and will be the player for the Thomians to keep an eye on.
The Royalists have two other batsmen from whom they will be expecting useful contributions to bolster the score. Vimath Dinsara is one of the two centurions. Dinsara has scored over 600 runs, inclusive of two tons and four half tons and skipper Ramiru Perera, who has cracked two centuries and two half tons, has raked up over 500 runs to his name.
Isula Geeganage with 430 runs, Thevindu Wewalwala with over 400 runs, Yasindu Dissamayake and Hirun Liyanaarachchi, who both have scored over 350 runs, will be other batsmen to take note of. Royal’s bowling will revolve around skipper Perera, Sandul Abeywardedena, Ranuka Malaviarachchi, Yenula Bandara and Ryan Sugathadasa
There are some records to be surpassed with the series top individual knock of 197 made by Royal’s Sumithra Warnakulasuriya in 1980. Duleep Mendis holds the Thomian record of 184 made in 1972. The partnership of 284 runs for the third wicket between Anushka Polonowita and Yasas Dharmaratne, achieved in 1986, stands as the best for any wicket in the series. Royal hold the record of the highest score in the series, 432 for 9, achieved in 2006. That eclipsed the best 388 for 9 held by the Thomians.