The most looked forward to sporting and social event
in the Calendar of present and past students of the
two most renowned high schools in Sri Lanka, the
Royal versus S. Thomas' Cricket Match, is played
over 3 days in the month of March in the city of
Colombo. S. Thomas' College Mount Lavinia, a private
Anglican school has about 2,500 boys on roll, while
Royal college Colombo, a government-run
non-denominational school accommodates approximately
8,000, making it the largest school in the country.
Origins of School Cricket in Ceylon
The early origins of S. Thomas' College Mount
Lavinia date back to 1851 when it was located in
Mutwal, Colombo. It is the first Ceylonese school to
play cricket - beginning 1864 against the Small Pass
Cricket Club in Colombo. This is also the first
recorded instance of a cricket match between two
Ceylonese teams played in Ceylon. S. Thomas' was
represented in this historic match by G. A. Edward,
W. De. Livera, K. Banda, S. H. Pereira, L. Sepion,
B. A. Senanayake, C. de Silva, L. T. Nolan, E. de
Hoedt, H. M. Fernando and A. Perera.
As there was no other school playing cricket at the
time, from 1864 to 1877, S. Thomas' played against
the clubs and other teams that were in existence in
Colombo, Negombo and Kalutara, including the elitist
European dominated Colombo Cricket Club. It is said
that the Cambridge-educated Sub-Warden of the
College, the Reverend Felton Falkner, who captained
the S. Thomas' team from 1873 to 1877, was in a
large way responsible for his school gaining a
reputation for playing good cricket during those
early formative years.
Cricket was introduced to the Colombo Academy in the
Pettah, which was subsequently renamed Royal College
and in later years re-located at Reid Avenue, by
another Cambridge-educated Englishman, Ashley
Walker, after his arrival in the island in January
1877 to take up duties as an assistant to the
Principal of the Academy. Ceylon's first
inter-school cricket match, the College vs. the
Academy (as the Royal Thomian was then called) was
played in 1878. Although the scores are not
recorded, there is a reference to the 1878 match by
the Secretary of the Thomian Cricket Club at the
anniversary dinner of the S. Thomas' College
Debating Club in 1879.
Since masters represented both schools in 1878 and
1879, both matches are not considered as part of the
series. The first schoolboys' encounter in 1880 is
the beginning of the College vs. the Academy series,
which with the passage of time blossomed out to be
what is known as the Royal-Thomian. The then Colombo
Academy was represented in the inaugural 1880 match
by J. W. de Silva, B. W. Bawa, B. de Silva, A.
Jansz, C. Wellopulle, C. de Silva, O. Van Hoff,
Wilfred de Kretser, William de Kretser, P. P. Jansz
and A. Weinman. S. Thomas' College comprised F. W.
McDonnell, C. Wilkins, E. R. McDonnell, F. T.
Ellawala, W. B. De Saram, W. E. Grenier, C. H. De
Saram, D. Wendt, C. O. Siebel, J. Louransz and C. De
Saram.
Most prestigious D. S. Senanayake Memorial
Shield
The time honoured encounter, now in its 125th year
is one of the longest uninterrupted inter-collegiate
cricket matches in the world. The Royal-Thomian, as
it is popularly known, is played for the most
prestigious 'Father of the Nation' D. S. Senanayake
Memorial Shield. Incidentally, Rt. Hon. D. S.
Senanayake, who became independent Ceylon's (as Sri
Lanka was known at the time) first Prime Minister,
donned the Thomian cap in 1901 and 1902.
The shield was presented in 1928. Mr. Senanayake's
two sons, Dudley (who became 4 times Prime Minister
of Sri Lanka) and Robert, played for S. Thomas' that
year. The match is not just a match but 'the Big
Match' and is played in a riveting atmosphere
throughout the 3 days.
The electric live bands, smoke bombs,
'Nagasalang-pappara' bands and the continuous
singing and dancing in a spirit of camaraderie and
'bon-homie' by thousands of diehards of the two
schools - not forgetting the jollification of the
special tents, Colts, Stallions and the
traditionally exclusive Mustang enclosure - makes it
the sporting showpiece of the year.
Foremost nurseries
Royal and S. Thomas were the foremost nurseries of
Sri Lanka cricket from the 1880s until about the
1970s. Both schools have produced a long line of
outstanding cricketers some of whom went on to
represent and later captain Ceylon/Sri Lanka with
distinction against powerful test playing nations
both here and abroad.
Thomian Captains Michael Tissera and Duleep Mendis
captained Sri Lanka to her first unofficial Test
Victory in 1964 (Pakistan) and to her first official
Test victory in 1985 (India), respectively. That
epoch-making first ever victorious All-Ceylon team
of 1964 included 1 Royalist Darrel Lieversz and 7
Thomians, Tissera, Trevlyn Edwards, Dr. Buddy (B.G.)
Reid, Mano Ponniah, Ian Pieris, Neil Chanmugam and
12th man Dr. Lareef Idroos.
Brilliant Trio
The debonair Tissera also led All-Ceylon to her
maiden limited-over international victory in 1969.
He is the only Captain to lead 3 All-Ceylon teams to
memorable victories on 3 separate occasions, all
against official test playing teams - Pakistan
(1964), India (1965) and MCC (1969). The glorious
win over India in 1965 was the first on foreign soil
at that level. The mercurial Duleep Mendis
incidentally is the only Sri Lankan to play and
Captain a World XI (versus the West Indies in
1981/82). He is the first to score twin centuries -
105 and 105 (versus India 1982, in India) - in an
unofficial or official Test for Sri Lanka. As Sri
Lanka Captain, he socred a spectacular century and
94 runs vs. England in 1984 at Lord's - the Mecca of
Cricket.
In the second innings, he was unfortunate to miss
out on twin centuries by a mere 6 runs which should
he have scored would have put him in an elite band
of batsmen to have scored twin centuries in a Test
match at Lord's. Mendis captained the country in
back-to-back World Cup tournaments (1983 and 1987)
and managed Sri Lanka's World Cup winning team in
1996. He became the first Sri Lankan to win the
handsome Sharjah Award in 1990. Another Thomian
Captain Anura Tennakoon led Sri Lanka at the first
ever World Cup in England in 1975 and the second
World Cup also in England in 1979. His batting
average in unofficial Tests was 48.8 runs and he
captained Sri Lanka in 16 unofficial Tests, more
than any other player till Sri Lanka achieved
official Tests Status. Tennekoon's magnificent 169
not out versus India in 1974 is rated by many as the
greatest innings played by a Ceylonese/Sri Lankan
batsman against a 'Test' nation in an unofficial
Test match.
He was the Chief Executive Officer of the Board of
Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka. Many Sri Lankan
sports enthusiasts are of the view that the great
performances of this brilliant trio of Tissera,
Tennakoon and Mendis, against quality international
opposition were contributory factors in Sri Lanka
ultimately achieving official 'Test' status and
joining the exclusive band of top cricket-playing
countries of the world during the early 1980s.
Played for Sri Lanka
Fourteen Royalists and Thomians have played for Sri
Lanka in official Tests and/or one-day
Internationals since 1982, the year Sri Lanka played
its first official Test match. Sri Lanka Captain
Ranjan Madugalle, Jayantha Amerasinghe, Ashantha de
Mel, Rohan Jayasekera, Roshan Jurangpathy and Jehan
Mubarak, are the Royalists and Duleep Mendis, Saliya
Ahangama, Guy de Alwis, Ishak Sahabdeen, Kapila
Wijegunawardene, Kausheek Amalean, Nisal Fernando
and Aruna Gunewardene are the Thomians. Sahabdeen
also captained the Sri Lanka hockey team in 1989.
Cricketing philanthropists
The two schools have also produced cricketing
philanthropists. Royalist Dr. John Rockwood and
Thomians D. L. de Saram, P. Saravanamuttu and Robert
Senanayake. Dr. Rockwood was the first President of
Ceylon Cricket Association in 1922. The awe
inspiring D. L. de Saram had the distinction of
being the first All-Ceylon Cricket Captain, and the
first Ceylonese to get his name in the Wisden - the
cricketer's Bible - in 1912. A President of the
Ceylon Cricket Association, he holds the Ceylon
record for throwing the cricket ball. In 1923, W. T.
Greswell, then Ceylon's best bowler said of him, "if
the Ceylonese players are understudying their idol
D. L. de Saram, they should continue to do so. No
better model cricket or sportsman ever donned
flannels in Ceylon". De Saram died at the
comparatively young age of 52 years.
The legendary P. Saravanamuttu has the honour of
being elected the first President of the Board of
Control for Cricket in 1948. He was also a President
of the Ceylon Cricket Association. Saravanamuttu's
greatest achievement was the construction of the
Colombo Oval, which is now known as the P.
Saravanamuttu Stadium and its pavilion during the
height of the Second World War.
He performed a miracle when he developed the ground
from a marshy land to a cricket stadium. It was
ready for cricket in 1943, the Royal Thomian match
inaugurating the ground. The pavilion was ready in
1945 for the first ever-unofficial Test against
India.
It was at the then Colombo Oval and now the P. Sara
Stadium that almost all the unofficial Test matches
were played. Four decades later when Sri Lanka
became a full member of the International Cricket
Council, the inaugural official Test match versus
England was also played there. P. Saravanamuttu also
began the tradition of providing employment in
government departments under his supervision as Tea
and Rubber Controller, to the best public schools
cricketers.
He was the only Ceylonese to be paid his salary as a
Civil Servant in Ceylon Rupees and an additional
salary in Sterling Pounds - a bigger salary (when
both were added up) than the Governor of Ceylon
received! P. Sara, as he was affectionately called,
died in harness aged 57 years.
His untimely death was a great loss to Sri Lanka
cricket. To perpetuate his memory the BCC in Ceylon
offered a Trophy - P. Saravanamuttu Trophy - for the
top most domestic tournament in the country. Robert
Senanayake was the longest serving President in the
history of the Cricket Board.
He took over the reins in 1957/58, and was the
President for a record 19 occasions before
relinquishing it in 1976. By that time the Board had
made great strides. He was also a President of the
Ceylon Cricket Association. In 1966 to help Ceylon
graduate from associate membership to full member
status of the International Cricket Council,
Senanayake initiated the first tournament in the
Island to feature 3-day matches. He offered the
Robert Senanayake Trophy for competition amongst the
Government Services,
Madugalle honoured
The apex body, which governs the noble game of
cricket around the world, the International Cricket
Council (ICC) has Royalist Ranjan Madugalle as the
Chief Match Referee of the Test and One-day
International Panel of Referees.
He refereed back-to-back World Cup final matches in
1999 and 2003. Former Sri Lanka poolist and Thomian
all-rounder Jerome Lee Jayaratne was earlier the
Project Officer for coaching, education and
development at the ICC. Also, Duleep Mendis is the
Chairman of the Asian Cricket Council Development
Committee, and the Chief Executive Officer of Sri
Lanka Cricket - the successor to the Board of
Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka.
Batting feats
Forty one Royalists and Thomians have scored
centuries in the 'Battle of the Blues'. Nineteen of
them are Royalists of which Sumithra 'Charlie'
Warnakulasuriya's marathon 197, spanning a full four
and a half sessions spread over two days and scored
in 1980, is the highest score for a 3-day match. The
other 22 centurions are Thomians of which Duleep
Mendis' belligerent 184 scored in 1972 remains as
the record for a 2-day match.
Royalist Neil Joseph (in 1925 & 1926) and Thomians
Duleep Mendis (in 1971 & 1972) and his nephew Manoj
Mendis (in 1992 & 1993) have each scored centuries
twice in the series. Dr. Sarath Seneviratne is the
most unfortunate batsman in the series having been
dismissed twice in the 'nervous-nineties' - for 96
and 97 in the 1964 and 1965 matches, respectively.
The most number of runs in an over - 24
(4,4,4,4,4,4), was scored by Thomian E. F. Arndt in
1903.
The record partnership for any wicket in the 2-day
match - 186 runs (for the 5th wicket) was shared
between Geoff Wijesinghe (64) and Ian Pieris (123)
of S. Thomas' in 1953. The 3-day match partnership
record of 254 runs (3rd wicket) between Yasasvin
Dharmaratne (124) and Anushka Polonowita (165) of
Royal was in 1996. The highest total in the Series
for the 2-day game - 360 for 8 declared in 1941 and
the 3-day match record of 388 for 9 declared in 1996
- were both notched up by S. Thomas'. Ronald Reed of
S. Thomas' has the phenomenal batting average of
108.3. His scores are - 0 and 37 in 1955, 158
not-out in 1956, 65 and 65 not-out in 1957. He
represented All-Ceylon.
Royalists Malinda Thotiwilage (95 and 108 in 2001),
Ganganath Ratnayake (75 and 111 not-out in 2003) and
Thomians William Jayatileke (62 and 110 not-out in
1937) and Dhammika Bulankulame (108 and 72 run-out
in 1984) came closer to scoring twin centuries.
Hundred Royalists and 105 Thomians have scored 50s
in the series. Fred Thomasz' 8 for 3
The record best bowling performance in an innings -
8 fro 3 in 1884 is held by Fred Thomasz of S.
Thomas'. Twenty eight bowlers (14 from either side)
have taken a match bag of 10 wickets or more.
Thomian L. H. Arndt's 14 for 55 in 1906 remains the
best in this category. Although Royalist J. W. De
Silva has taken 14 wickets in the first match in
1880, his bowling analysis is inconclusive, as the
runs given away by him do not appear in any of the
scorecards. Another Thomian Richard Wanduragala has
also taken 14 for 76 in the 1907 match. Seventy five
Royalists and 71 Thomians have taken 5 or more
wickets in an innings in the series.
Star all-rounders
Barney Gunesekera's (1930) 148 and 9 for 105, and
Rochana Jayawardene's (1983) 145 not out and 9 for
73, are the two best all-round performances for
Royal College. Merveyn Gooneratne's (1935) 107 and 8
for 66, and Ian Pieris's (1953) 123 and 6 for 64,
are the two best efforts for S. Thomas' College.
Pieris, a Cambridge Blue, is the only Sri Lankan to
perform the hat trick in first class cricket in
England. He, Gunasekera and Gooneratne represented
All-Ceylon as all-rounders. In later years Pieris
was twice elected as the President of the Board of
Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka. Thomian Alex
Wijesinghe took 10 for 66 in 1933 and followed it up
with 115 not out in 1934.
Carl Cooke - 9 dismissals
Thomian Wicket Keeper Carl Cooke's record 9
dismissals ( 6 ct, 2 st, 1 run-out) was in 1923. The
intrepid Cooke later became the first Asian to cross
the English Channel from England to France in a
canoe in 1937.
They too captained Ceylon
Cricketers of the class of Royalists Dr. C. H.
Gunesekera, F. C. De Saram, Sargo Jayewickrema, C.
I. Gunesekera, Thomians A. C. Ahmath, S.
Saravanamuttu, Vernon Prins and Dr. Buddy (B.G.)
Reid, all wielded the willow majestically in the
famous series before going on to captain
Ceylonese/All Ceylon against highly rated foreign
teams. Dr. Gunasekera was one of the first Ceylonese
cricketers to play for a county in England. De
Saram, an Oxford Blue, Jayewickreme and later C. I.
Gunesekera were three of the most prolific Ceylonese
batsmen during their times.
An excellent tennis player and golfer, De Saram can
be considered a triple international. A. C. Ahmath
was the captain of the first Ceylonese team ever to
beat a recognised visiting foreign team from a
powerful Test playing country - Australia in 1914.
The flamboyant S. Saravanamuttu became the first
Ceylonese to score a century at Lord's and that too
against the MCC in 1924. Representing the Indian
Gymkhana, he had scored 124 in that match. He was
also a President of the Board of Control for Cricket
in Ceylon.
As a schoolboy, S. Sara has many heroics to his
credit, amongst which stands quite a number of
swashbuckling innings as a dashing batsman including
the record for the fastest century ever in the
Ceylon Schools' first eleven cricket history. Like
his elder brother P. Sara, he too died in harness at
the age of 56 years. Vernon Prins was a double
international in cricket and hockey and Dr. Buddy
(B.G.) Reid had the unique distinction of captaining
in two sports - Cricket and Table Tennis, at the
highest national level.
Holsinger - first professional
Thomian Alfred Holsinger, who was Ceylon's fastest
bowler prior to 1900, was the first Ceylonese
cricket professional. He started playing in the
English League in 1899.
A report in the "Ceylon Independent" of May 1899
says "Holsinger took 6 wickets with 6 consecutive
deliveries for his club in Hampshire, and a wicket
with the first ball he bowled in England". He had
some splendid performances throughout his 15 years
as a professional in England.
Dr. Scharenguivel - 3 'firsts'
Another Thomian Dr. James Arthur Scharenguivel was
the first Ceylonese to play for a foreign country -
All Scotland and the first to score a century
overseas in 1902.
He played for All Scotland against South Africa and
that was the first time a Ceylonese played against a
"Test" country. In 1905 he also played against
Australia.
Schoolboys Porrit and Fairweather play for
Ceylon
Royalists Tommy Kellart and Daya Sahabandu were
rated as two of the best Ceylonese slow bowlers
during their times. Thomian fast bowler A. S.
Eliyatamby was Ceylon's Star all-rounder beginning
1908 and Royalist Carl Van Geyzel opened batting for
Ceylon in 1927. A Cambridge Blue in athletics, Van
Geyzel the champion high jumper represented Britain
in the Amsterdam Olympics in 1928. The 1934 rival
captains Royalist Billy (FWE) Porrit and Thomian
Donald Fairweather, both played for Ceylon as
schoolboys. Several other players from both schools
have also represented the country as schoolboys.
A. J. D. N. Selvadurai - triple
international
Thomian fast bowler A. J. D. N. Selvadurai turned
out for All-Ceylon during the 1930s and the early
1940s. An athlete and Tennis player, the redoubtable
Selvadurai can be considered the first triple
international in Ceylon. Royalist Chippy (LDS)
Gunasekera, a reputed Coach, captained Ceylon in two
matches against visiting representative teams in
1935. Royalist Mahes Rodrigo and Thomian Berty
Wijesinha are two other gifted sportsmen who
excelled in the 1940s and 1950s as double
internationals, the former in cricket and rugby,
latter in cricket and athletics. Wijesinha is also
acclaimed as one of the finest cricket coaches in
Sri Lanka.
Royalist fast bowler Darrel Lieversz (cricket and
athletics) and Thomian orthodox left arm spinner
Ranil Abeynaike (cricket and hockey) emerged as
double internationals, during the 1960s and the
1970s respectively. A cricket commentator, writer,
curator and accomplished Australian qualified coach,
Abeynaike is the Coach of the 2004 Thomian first
eleven team.
Wardens played
Three Wardens of S. Thomas' College have played for
the school in the Royal-Thomian, Canon R. S. de
Saram, C. H. Davidson and the current incumbent Dr.
David Ponniah. An Oxford Boxing Blue, De Saram who
played in 1915, 1916 and 1917, was the first
Ceylonese and old Thomian to be installed as Warden
of his alma mater.
Davidson collected 'a pair of specs' in the 1919
match. Dr. Ponniah is the first from either side to
score a century on debut in the 1967 match.
He is also credited with sharing the fastest century
partnership in the series (in 57 mts, 4th wicket)
with Azam Hameed (59 not out) in the same match. Dr.
Ponniah's brother, the engineer curn architect and
Cambridge Blue Mano Ponniah, played for S. Thomas'
in 1960/'61 and thereafter went onto don the
All-Ceylon Jersy from 1964 to 1968.
Prime Minister Sir John L. Kotelawala (in 1914/15)
and Prime Minister/President Junius R. Jayawardene
(in 1925) played for Royal College. Jayawardene was
the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in
Ceylon from 1952 to 1956.
It is interesting to note that six Gunasekera
brothers played for Royal College between 1930 and
1950. Five de Saram brothers (1879-1885) and the
five Reid brothers (1956-1968) represented S.
Thomas' College. E. A. Elapata (in 1888/'89) and P.
B. Bulankulame (in 1919/'20) captained S. Thomas',
while their grandsons Upali Katugaha and Anura
Bulankulame led the Thomians in 1947 and 1988,
respectively.
England-based solicitor and property developer,
Thomian Glucka (AM) Wijesuriya owns the sprawling
Shenley Cricket Centre, in Hertfordshire on the
borders of London. It has two grounds - 17 pitch
square purpose built main ground and the 10 pitch
square nursery ground, with its outdoor nets
comprising six grass and four all weather strips.
Fourteen overseas countries and 24 English counties
have played at the picturesque main ground. After
playing at the Shenley Cricket Centre, Australian
Jeff Thompson the former world's fastest bowler,
summed up his experience by saying, "After Lord's I
would rather play here than anywhere else".
Incidentally, on the 14th of January 1994, S.
Thomas' College became the first school in Sri Lanka
to open its own indoor cricket nets. Royal College
followed suit on the 14th of December 1995.
Sporting captains, memorable incidents
There have been memorable incidents in the long
Royal-Thomian series where captains had
considered winning or losing secondary and taken
decisions in the true spirit of the game. Two
Royal Captains Channa Gunesekera and Tuan Saldin
on two separate occasions recalled a Thomian
batsman to resume the innings after being given
out by the umpire in controversial circumstances
in 1949 and 1976, respectively.
In the 1923 match, Thomian skipper Punchi Banda
Lankatilleke's magnanimous gesture of playing an
extra over gave Royal victory, which otherwise would
have been a draw. At the time of his death in April
2003, aged 99 years, Mr. Lankatilleke was the oldest
Thomian and the longest living Schools' Cricket
Captain in Sri Lanka.
In 1946, the Thomian batsmen under the captaincy of
Oscar Wijesinghe very sportingly ran out to bat in
drizzle and bad light when they could justifiably
have appealed for an early stoppage of play on
account of bad light. Thomians carried on till the
last wicket fell and Royal won the match.
According to Thomian Ronnie Weerakoon, he could
barely see the bowler, let alone see the ball while
he was batting. Later, Weerakoon played for
All-Ceylon and Wijesinghe represented his country at
the Empire Games in 1950 in New Zealand.
The 1928 encounter with the Thomians struggling to
save the match with 8 down for 76, chasing 188 runs
for victory. Notwithstanding the dire straits his
team was in, S. Thomas' captain Roy Hermon
graciously offered fifteen extra minutes to the
Royalists to try and win the match, but the Thomian
grit surfaced and the match was drawn.
Unfortunately, one match in this time-honoured
series had ended due to the invasion of the pitch by
a section of the spectators and disrupting the
match. In 1903, S. Thomas' captained by Francis
Molamure (later Sir, who went on to become the first
speaker in independent Ceylon's first Parliament)
had to take one last Royal wicket to win. Royal led
by Frank Ondatjie had to score 26 runs to win in the
last over of the match by the last pair.
Just before the over started, unruly section of the
crowd rushed to the field and carried away the two
Royal batsmen off the ground, despite vain attempts
by the Umpires to control them. Ultimately, on
reference to the Colombo Cricket Club Committee, the
match was declared a draw. Molamure who captained
the combined colleges, was the finest fieldsman of
his time.
In the 1949 Royal-Thomian, the Thomians were stuck
for time to score just 3 runs for victory (with 6
wickets in hand) ironically due to Thomian Bradman
Weerakoon hitting a huge six off Gamini Goonasena.
The ball had sailed over the ropes, over the boys'
tents and into the wilderness. It is said that the
time taken to find the lost ball in the end deprived
the two Thomian batsmen at the crease Skipper
Philips Shantikumar and Chandra Schaffter of pulling
off what would have been an easy victory.
Then, unlike now, time was the only criteria that
mattered and not the number of overs, which is of
paramount importance now.
First Asian to captain Cambridge
Royalist Gamini Goonasena went on to become the
first Asian to captain Cambridge. He played county
cricket and represented the MCC. He was the stop-gap
captain of the Ceylon Team in the 2nd unofficial
Test match against India in 1956. A dynamic player,
he was the first Ceylonese to be named one of
Wisden's "Five Cricketers of the Year" in 1957.
Bradman Weerakoon became the Secretary General of
the London-based International Planned Parenthood
Federation, Advisor on international relations to
two Presidents and the Permanent Secretary to 8
Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka - a record albeit of a
different kind!
Shanthikumar came first in the then much coveted
Civil Service examination in 1954 and Schafter a
double international in cricket and hockey, currency
controls two of the biggest insurance companies in
Sri Lanka.
Thomians Dan Piachaud and Gehan D. Mendis are two
other Sri Lankan born cricketers to play first class
professional county cricket in England. The elegant
Piachaud, an Oxford Blue, had the distinction of
playing for All-Ceylon and the M.C.C. Mendis first
scored over 1,000 runs in season for Sussex County
in 1980.
In 7 seasons out of 8 thereafter he topped 1,000
runs a season. He scored over 10,000 first class
runs, which included several centuries and double
centuries. Wisden describes him as 'a dashing right
hand opening batsman'. Although highly rated, he was
unfortunate never to played for his adopted country
England.
P. Saravanamuttu Trophy - The 'Blue Riband'
The only time the then University of Ceylon won the
'Blu Riband' - The P. Saravanamuttu trophy was in
1963. That champion team included 2 Royalists, Nihal
De Mel, Dr. Harsha Samarajeewa and 5 Thomians, Dr.
Upali Gunetilleke, Dr. Buddy (B.G.) Reid, Mano
Ponniah, Dr. N. S. Gurusinghe and Dr. Lareef Idroos.
It is also noteworthy to mention that the first SSC
team to play its first ever match (in 1901 verses
the Colombo Sports Club) comprised of 4 Royalists,
D. B. Gunesekera (Snr.) E. Weerasooriya, A. C.
Tirimanne, F. A. Obeyesekera and 8 Thomians, O. G.
De Alwis (Captain), D. L. de Saram, A. F. Molamure,
M. S. Guneratne, B. De Saram, A. E. Abeykoon, F. L.
Goonewardene and S. De Saram. Some of these
gentlemen in later years did much to popularise the
sport in their provincial home towns.
Thomian grit
No commentary on Royal-Thomian cricket is complete
without reference to 'Thomian grit' in the context
of the history centenary match played in 1979.
Thomian wickets were falling all round in the second
innings and Royal were in sight of victory in the
last session of the match. But when all looked lost
for S. Thomas' there emerged from the shadows of
gloom Mahinda Halangode and Chandrashan Richards,
the saviours.
The end of the day scoreboard read, Halangode 70 not
out (14 fours)and Richards 20 not out (1 four) - S.
Thomas 252 for 8 wickets. An unbroken ninth wicket
partnership of 91 runs to bring home a honourable
draw.
Fittingly, rising to the motto of S. Thomas' - "Esto
Perpetua" (Be thou forever) in what is today a piece
of history in the annals of the 'Battle of the
Blues". Royal last won the 'Battle' in successive
years 1990 and 1991 under Udaya Lakmal Wijesena and
Rohan Iriyagolle, respectively.
The last Royal team to win by an innings was held by
Pat McCarthy (1938), who played for All-Ceylon and a
season for Western Australia in Australia. S.
Thomas' last won in 1999 under Naren Ratwatte and
the last Thomian team to win by an innings was led
by Anura Bulankulame in 1988.
Many cricketers from both schools, whose names are
not mentioned here, have played in all grades of
representative cricket, thereby contributing
immensely to the sustenance and progress of the
sport in the country. Royalists and Thomians have
also served as Presidents of almost all the leading
cricket clubs and associations.
Frank L. Goonewardene who captained S. Thomas' in
1899, was the premier sponsor and promoter of the
sport in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. Captain
of the Kandy Sports Club, Goonewardena, a wealthy
lawyer, was made a honorary member of the MCC in
1927.
After 124 years without a miss or break for wars,
the series is either tied or S. Thomas' leads,
depending how the contentious result of the 9-run
match in 1885 is counted. S. Thomas' says it won
that year and leads the series with 33 wins to 32.
For Royal, the 9-run match was a draw and the
competition stands at 32 wins each.
The 9-run Match
The "History of the Royal College' says "Although
the circumstances were quite ordinary, Royal were
dismissed for 9 runs. S. Thomas' piled up 170 for 6
wickets and the rain interfered, but the umpires one
of whom was Mr. Ashley Walker decided that the
ground was fit for play after rain ceased. But
though the umpires and the principal were for
continuing the match, the team urged by a few
unsporting boys refused to play."
The "Ceylon Observer" of 16th March 1885, under
local and general says "The S. Thomas' College
Cricket Club - the Honorary Secretary of the Club,
Mr. Frank Grenier, wishes us to state that no
matches in future be arranged with the Royal College
CC in consequence of the latter club refusing to
continue the match played last week." The Laws of
Cricket is as follows, "when they (i.e. the umpires)
shall call play, the side that refuses to play shall
lose the match".
But, fortunately, for the future generations of
Royalists and Thomians, "The History of the Royal
College" further states: "The disagreement which
resulted between the two teams was settled by Royal
apologising and the Thomians sportive enough to bury
the hatchet".
Whatever the result, the connoisseurs of the Royal
Thomian believe the 9-run match has added much fun
and good humour in the true spirit of the game to
build a healthy Royal-Thomian tradition over the
years since this controversial match in 1885.
Eight other "Roy-Tho" contests
Eight other annual contests - The Royal Thomians
Rowin Regatta, The Hayman Cup Water Polo Tie (in the
Royal and Thomian swimming pools) the D. S.
Senanayake Trophy Basketball Match, the Orville
Abeynaike Trophy Hockey Match, the Tennis Tie, the
Mustangs Trophy One-day Cricket Match, the Michael
Guneratne Trophy Rugby Scrum-down and the Soccer
Match - further binds the two schools in sporting
rivalry.
A bond, perhaps best reflected by the words of a
former principal of Royal College, the genial Mr.
Bogoda Premaratne, that "without Royal there is no
S. Thomas', and without S. Thomas' there is no
Royal".
At the 1905 S. Thomas' College Old Boys Association
(which is incidentally the oldest schools' Alumni
Association in the country) dinner, Mr. Charles
Hartley the Principal of Royal College in his speech
had hoped that "S. Thomas' will be spared for many
years to act as a spur and a whetstone to Royal
College and other similar institutions."
We Royalists would say, if we were not fortunate
enough to be called Royalists, then we would have
certainly called ourselves Thomians!!!
