Daring declaration backfires as Thomians clinch a stunning win
Known for their indomitable grit, S. Thomas’ College pulled off the unthinkable, clinching a famous five-wicket victory in the 146th Battle of the Blues against Royal College at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) ground in Colombo yesterday.
Thomians celebrate their stunning five-wicket victory over Royalists to regain the Rt. Hon. D.S. Senanayake Memorial Shield after six years
Sadev Soysa flipped the script with a blistering half century - Pix by Eshan Fernando
After a bold and sporting declaration by Royal at 215-8 in their second innings, the Thomians were handed an uphill task—chasing 233 runs in just 42 overs. What followed was a rollercoaster of agony and ecstasy, culminating in S. Thomas’ reclaiming the Rt. Hon. D.S. Senanayake Memorial Shield after six years, levelling Royal’s tally of 36 wins in the historic encounter.
While the Thomians’ remarkable chase will be remembered for years, it wouldn’t have been possible without Royal’s daring yet perilous declaration. With two wickets in hand and nearly an hour left before tea, Royal’s decision to call off their innings suggested they believed S. Thomas’ would play it safe. But what unfolded was an audacious counterattack that left Royal stunned.
Reshon Solomons had a remarkable debut with an unbeaten half ton
Initially, it appeared the declaration was justified as the Thomians began cautiously. But then, like a storm tearing through a quiet evening, Sadev Soysa arrived at the crease and flipped the script. With aggressive intent and fearless stroke play, Soysa hammered a game-changing 52 off just 32 balls, breathing new life into the chase.
His fireworks set the stage for first-innings centurion and senior coloursman Dineth Goonewardena and young Reshon Solomons to take charge as they stole the limelight with a match-winning, unbroken 80-run stand for the sixth wicket.
Their fireworks took S. Thomas’ past the target with just six balls to spare. However, the real turning point came earlier when Thomian spinner Darien Diego’s sensational hat-trick forced Royal skipper Ramiru Perera to make a premature declaration. Rehan Peiris’ stellar efforts—158 in the first innings and 53 in the second—ultimately went in vain.
Dineth Goonewardena, with a century and a half century, led from the front
Royal’s second innings had begun promisingly, with Peiris and Hirun Liyanaarachchi putting on 71 runs for the opening stand. They were followed by three key partnerships—48 for the second wicket with Vimath Dinsara, 34 for the fourth wicket between Dinsara and Perera, and 37 for the fifth between Perera and Thevindu Wewalwala. But Diego’s hat-trick turned the tide, leaving Royal on the back foot.
Faced with an asking rate of nearly six runs per over on a challenging pitch, the Thomians had two choices—dig in for a draw or throw caution to the wind. After a slow, cautious start, losing opener Avinash Fernando for eight, they decided to go for the win.
Jaden Amaraweera and Mithila Charles laid the foundation with a 50-run stand for the second wicket before Charles fell for 26 off 42 balls at 58-2. Amaraweera, anchoring the innings, cautiously accumulated runs until Soysa arrived and flipped the script.
His explosive knock, studded with four boundaries and three sixes, saw the Royalists scrambling for answers. Amaraweera fell for a valuable 48 off 61 balls with eight boundaries, leaving
S. Thomas’ needing 118 from 18.5 overs.
Despite losing two quick wickets, slumping from 115-3 to 153-5, the Thomians found their heroes in Goonewardena and the 15-year-old Solomons. With ice-cool composure, the duo ran brilliantly between the wickets, keeping the Royal fielders under relentless pressure.
Goonewardena’s unbeaten 51 off 47 balls and Solomons’ mature 50 off 48 balls sealed the win in emphatic fashion. As the winning runs were struck, Thomian supporters flooded the field in jubilation, celebrating their school’s 36th triumph in this storied rivalry.
Royal gambled, S. Thomas’ dared, and cricket emerged victorious in yet another unforgettable Battle of the Blues.
Thomian skipper Kavindu Dias receiving the Dialog Challege Trophy from Dialog Axiata PLC - CEO Supun Weerasinghe
| Scoreboard | |
| Royal 319 all out (78) (Rehan Peiris 158, Thevindu Wewelwala 48, Yasindu Dissanayake 25n.o., Vimath Dinsara 25; Darien Diego 2/43, Kavindu Dias 2/71) S. Thomas’ 302 all out (103) (Dineth Goonawardena 119, Avinash Fernando 50, Kavindu Dias 37n.o., Jaden Amaraweera 31, Sadev Soysa 27; Ramiru Perera 5/58, Ranuka Malaviarachchi 3/72) Royal (2nd innings) Rehan Peiris lbw b Diego 53 Hirun Liyanaarachchi run out 37 Vimath Dinsara b Goonawardena 35 Isula Geeganage c Dias b Goonawardena 00 Ramiru Perera c Soysa b Diego 50 Tevindu Wewelwala c Goonawardena b Diego 13 Yasindu Dissanayake not out 17 Ranuka Malaviarachchi b Diego 00 Sehandu Sooriyaarachchi lbw b Diego 00 Sandul Abeywardana not out 00 Extras (w2, nb2, b4, lb1) 09 Total (8 wickets; 51 overs) 215 decl Did not bat: Kuchila Ranmandala Fall of wickets: 1-71 (Liyanaarachchi, 23.3ov), 2-119 (Dinsara, 29.2ov), 3-119 (Geeganage, 29.6ov), 4-153 (Peiris, 38.1ov), 5-190 (Wewelwala, 45.2ov), 6-201 (Perera, 47.2ov), 7-201 (Malaviarachchi, 47.3ov), 8-201 (Sooiyaarachchi, 47.4ov) Bowling: Kavindu Dias 7-0-32-0, Anshane de Silva 18-3-73-0, Ayman Anzari 4-0-14-0, Dineth Goonawardena 11-0-51-2, Darien Diego 11-0-40-5 S. Thomas’ (2nd innings – target 233) Avinash Fernando c Dinsara b Malaviarachchi 05 Jaden Amaraweera b Perera 48 Mithila Charles lbw b Perera 26 Sadev Soysa c Dinsara b Perera 52 Dineth Goonawardena not out 50 Sachithra Gunasinghe lbw b Malaviarachchi 00 Reshon Solomon not out 50 Extras (2w) 02 Total (5 wickets; 41 overs) 233 Did not bat: Darien Diego, Anshane de Silva, Kavindu Dias, Ayman Anzari, Yowel Warnakulasooriya Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Fernando, 4.1ov), 2-58 (Charles, 15.3ov), 3-115 (Amaraweera, 23.1ov), 4-148 (Soysa, 27.6ov), 5-153 (Gunasinghe, 28.3ov) Bowling: Ranuka Malaviarachchi 11-1-62-2, Kuchila Ranmandala 4-2-17-0, Sandul Abeywardana 7-1-33-0, Sehandu Sooriyaarachchi 3-0-14-0, Ramiru Perera 13-0-28-3, Tevindu Wewelwala 3-0-28-0 |