A close tussle expected at 143rd Royal – Thomian match
S. THOMAS COLLEGE 1 XI CRICKET TEAM: SEATED FROM LEFT: SENESH HETTIARACHCHI, MAHITH PERERA, RYAN FERNANDO, G.CANISTON, ROMESH MENDIS, NATHAN CALDERA. STANDING FROM LEFT: DARIN DEAGO, MANULA PAHAN, ASHEN PERERA, MUIZ NAUSHAN, DHIREN DE SILVA, ANEESH KAMALACHANDRA, EROSHAN DEVACHANDRA, JANIDU ABEYGOONAWARDENA, ARITH ADHIKARAM, CHARUKA PEIRIS, DEVIN JAYASURIYA, DINETH GUNAWARDENE, THISEN EHALIYAGODA, KAVINDU DIAS, AKASH FERNANDO, SENADHI BULANKULAME.
ROYAL COLLEGE 1 XI CRICKET TEAM: SEATED FROM LEFT: A. PRASHANTHA (MIC), DAN PODDIWELA, M.A.M. RIYAZ (ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL / SENIOR GAMES MASTER), GISHAN BALASOORIYA (CAPTAIN), P.A.S.P. JAYALATH (PRINCIPAL), DASIS MANCHANAYAKE (VICE CAPTAIN), M.V.S. GUNATHILEKA (DEPUTY PRINCIPAL), SADISHA RAJAPAKSHA, SINETH JAYAWARDENA, ROHAN SOYSA (HEAD COACH). STANDING FROM LEFT: RAMIRU PERERA, SANVIDU SENARATHARACHCHI, LAHIRU GAMGEWATTA, ASHEN GAMAGE, ANUSH POLONOWITA, SANDESH RAMANAYAKE, DAMITH KAPPAGODA, VENUSHA ROYAL, BULAN WEERATHUNGA, UVINDU WEERASEKERA, NETHIN PANAPITIYA. PICTURES BY – HERBERT PERERA
The oldest big match among the schools 143 “battle of the Blues “between Royal College Colombo and S.Thomas Mt Lavinia will be held from July 21 to 23 at the SSC grounds. The longest running and the uninterrupted series, and the, second oldest match in the world is normally a hive of activity but Royal – Thomian big match fever this time is not much as previous years due to the prevailing situation in the country as the college old boys and present boys battle it out to encourage their teams for victory. Win or lose the two schools maintain their traditions during these three days.
The two schools already produced great cricketers to the National and International level while apart from the cricketers the present ICC chief match referee Ranjan Madugalle the former National skipper who played in the inaugural Test match against England in 1982 is a proud Royalist who brought honour to the country.
The former National Skipper Anura Tennakoon who was also the former SLC CEO, Duleep Mendis the former Sri Lanka cricket skipper and former Cricket manager, cricket great Micheal Tissera later became National team Manager and interim committee member, Mevan Pieris, Saliya Ahangama and present National team manager Mahinda Halangoda are few of the best cricketers produced by S.Thomas while Sudath Pasquel, Roshan Jurangpathy, two players who played for National team as schoolboys, Nirmal Hettarachchi, Jayantha Amarasinghe, Asantha de Mel who was the former National selection committee chairman, Chintaka Edirimanne who is the present SLC head of the Operations, Jehan Mubarak the present National under 19 coach, Chanaka Thenuwara the present SLC umpires committee chairman, Sumithra Warnakulasuriya, Chulaka Amarasinghe two prolific scorers and present National players, Kusal Janith Perera Lasith Embuldeniya and Chamika Karunaratne are some talented cricketers produced by the Reid Avenue school. Tho great politicians who led the country Late Prime Minister D.S Senanayake from S.Thomas and late President J.R Jayewardene from Royal represented the College cricket team at the big match.
Coming back to the 143rd battle of the blues, Both teams have not had the luxury of competitive games this season. The only match practice they have had are the traditional and friendly encounters while the match exposure is more important before this big match.
Thomians coached by experienced Dinesh Kumaradinghe are the title-holders while the team will be led by their prolific top-order batter, Ryan Fernando, who is undoubtedly the main batsman having lot of potential as a top order batter.
The fourth-year coloursman Ryan Fernando created college history peaking in time ahead of his biggest school match. The first of the twin tall knocks came, when he renewed the history books for the highest Thomian score, plundering 252 not out against Isipathana and finally once again made an unbeaten 200 against Ananda at the same grounds SSC and this knock is a big boost for left hander Ryan Fernando before the big match. In fact Fernando was not a member of the original under 19 squad for the England cricket match series and Ryan got final call from the junior selection committee while paceman Caniston Gunaratnam also a member of the National under 19 squad for the next England tour. Skipper Ryan Fernando, playing in his final year also holds the S.Thomas ground record surpassing fellow and famous Thomian, Bertie Wijesinghe recently.
Caniston Gunaratnam – the deputy of the side.is a speedster, becomes the latest Thomian product to be drafted into the Under-19 pool and under 19 fast bowling coach Chamila Gamage highly appreciated his skills. Apart from the fourth and third year coloursmen, respectively, the team has four coloursmen to strengthen the side.
The coach Dinesh Kumarasinghe always highly admired about the match exposure and dedicated training at the school level. Actually some school players are not seen by the selectors while some talented players not spotted by the junior selectors the best example skipper Ryan was not selected for the under 19 squad first. Selectors always consider trial matches only for the selections and not giving enough opportunity for the talented players at this level and this is a big issue and luckily our skipper was named the under 19 squad after making twin hundreds this season said coach Dinesh Kumarasinghe. Anusha Samaranayake the former National fast bowling coach also helping the Thomian team as coaching consultant.
The Royal side heavily depend on two senior players Sadeesha Rajapaksa the National under 19 all rounder who took part in National under 19 World Cup and captain Gishan Balasooriya. Gishan and his side are well equipped with Sadeesha Rajapaksa the top order batter and off spinner and top order batter Sineth Jayawardena the most successful batter of the side who has been selected for the National under 19 squad, Dan Poddiwela the talented fast bowler and Vice Captain Dasis Manchanayake strengthen the Royal side which is coached by Rohan Soysa.
The big match title holders Thomians are trying to retain the D. S. Senanayake shield while Royalists who won the big match last time in 2016 also will go all out to win the big game while most important is to play positive from the start to get a result in this three day game. The Royal Thomian joint committee have made arrangements to make this historic big match a success.