A GLORIOUS SEASON
As we lay huddled together late into the
evening, a day before the beginning of yet another cricket
season, I could sense the camaraderie and the determination
among the players, as we discussed strategy before the start of
the first match of a new season. For many of us, it was going to
be our last.
The nucleus of the team consisted of Sandesh
Algama, Sahnda Unamboowe, Rochana
Jayawardana, Malik Samarasinghe, Gihan
Malalasekera, Heshan de Silva and myself. Most of us had played
Junior cricket together and knew each other very well. We had also
won the "Under 15 all Island Cricket Championship" two years in a
row. Hence, an attacking and a winning instinct was already
ingrained in us. It was also ironic, that we had never witnessed a
decision at a Royal-Thomian, as the last Royal victory was 14 years
ago (in 1969) and the last Thomian victory in 1964 (19 years prior).
This made us even more determined towards making this season a
memorable one and above all, to achieve that elusive dream of
winning the Big Match which had eluded many a great team before us.
In making this goal a reality, we were
fortunate to have two excellent coaches in 'Vijaya' Malalasekera and
the late Milinda Amarasinghe, affectionately known as 'Doc' the
ideal combination, as Vijaya being an attacking cricketer never
curbed our natural instincts, while Doc stood close to us 'like the
Rock of Gibraltar' re-affirming faith in our ability in overcoming
any eventuality. Our Master-in-charge, the late Mr Kinbanda, was fun
loving while maintaining a stem extenor which would have fooled
anyone who did not know him.
At the beginning of the season in 1983, Vijaya
got the services of Mr Kularatne (who was also involved in College
Athletics) with regard to improving our physical fitness. We were
put through the paces every morning for a solid hour and anyone
faltering had an extra session, while the rest enjoyed a game of
"Tap" rugger. A lot of us did grumble initially, but as time went
on, we realized the value of the training as we became fitter and
stronger. It was just the other day, while in conversation with
Vijaya that he reminded me of the importance of the fitness routine
that he put us through years ago. As he realized that in order for
us to win matches, we would have to be bowling sides out twice.
Hence the fitness level required to concentrate while fielding long
hours.
The first match of the season was against
Thurstan College which was marred by rain. The next match against
St.Sebastian's College once again left us short of time eluding us
yet again of another victory. This sent us back to the drawing board
where it was decided that we score our runs at a much faster pace.
The importance of taking singles improving our over rate, placing
greater emphasis on our fielding and an overall urgency was drummed
into the boys.
The above set us on a roll that began in early
December and ended in some straight victories in the season.
The Big Match in March was fast drawing nigh.
With a match to go for the big 'un, Vijaya and Doc pulled off a
master stroke of which I am yet baffled! Vijaya spoke to me and
wanted me to rest the Trinity game as he felt that I required a much
needed break, while bringing in a young leftie who confounded
everyone by taking four wickets for no runs. Thus, Royal were home
and dry by tea and above all were back to our winning ways.
On the morning of the Big Match, having
inspected the wicket which was rid of all its grass and having won
the toss, we decided to take first lease of the wicket. The Thomians
started off superbly and had us on the hop at 58 for 4 wickets at
lunch. The Oval track did seam around in the morning session. We
tried to keep the scoreboard ticking, as the onus was on us to make
things happen. As a result all four batsmen fell to catches behind
the stumps. The Thomian pacies did bowl a line outside off stump,
which made me leave almost every delivery. Finally in
frustration, I remember launching into an expansive cover drive to a
juicy half volley (or was it) and I began my long walk back, with
the Thomian Coach, F.C.de Saram's footprints written all over me,
which since has been confirmed to me by my opposite number Kapila. I
remember thinking that if we got close to 200, we could still put it
off. Vijaya, calm as ever, told the batsman to play their natural
game.
The session from lunch to tea is a blur in my
mind as Rochana went berserk and was helped along by Malik and
Sarinda. Such was the ferocity of the counter-attack that the
Thomians were taken totally by surprise and did let some chances
slip by. After lunch even with the regular fall of wickets and the
score reading 114 for 6 wickets, that a run rate of almost 4.5 per
over was maintained by Rochana and the lower order, speaks volumes
for the self belief and resolve clearly exhibited by the players.
Sarinda was involved in a crucial 87 run stand for the 7th
wicket, with Rochana who by now was hitting almost every delivery. I
declared with the score reading 249 for 8 wickets, Rochana unbeaten
on a brilliant 145. The unbroken 9th wicket stand was
worth 45 runs, of which Devarajan had contributed just 3 runs. The
Thomian pacies, Jerome and Kapila who bowled splendidly before lunch
ended up with 4 and 2 wickets respectively.
Thomians did negotiate the rest of the overs
safely, but for a brilliant piece of fielding by Chanaka who threw
down the stumps from fine-leg. S.Thomas' were 22 for 1 wicket at
close.
At the team meeting after the day's play,
everyone was very sober and subdued and knew that we had to press
home the advantage at the start of play the next morning. Once again
that quiet determination among all of us was clearly evident, as
some of us spent a sleepless night waiting to have a go at the
Thomians.
The first session of the second day's play in
my mind was like a well rehearsed orchestra, giving off its best
ever performance - music to the ears of the Royalist! Beautiful
bowling supported by some brilliant close-in catching where
absolutely nothing went a begging, even the "quarter" chances were
snapped up as the Thomians were absolutely stunned. The Thomians
made the cardinal mistake of trying to defend against Rochana who by
now was bowling superbly in tandem with Malik, played right into our
hands, while Chanaka as usual provided us with the early
breakthrough. Thus the Thomians were bowled out for 81 runs soon
after lunch. Rochana was the chief destroyer with 5 wickets, while
Malik and Chanaka took 2 a piece, with one run out.
The '83 match was won during this session of
play in which we picked up 8 wickets for 58 runs. The Thomians were
completely outclassed and outplayed. Following on they fared much
better a second time round, with a much more determined performance
being shown and a lot more application as tantamount on their minds
being the occupation of the crease. In their second essay,
Bulankulame stroked a fluent 43 while Mathangaweera and Asanga got
into their twenties, but never got going. Once again the spinners
toiled much during the rest of the day. Rochana again bowled
beautifully to end up with 2 wickets a piece with Jura. The Thomians
closed the day at 109 for 4 wickets. It was an exhausting day.
We were well pleased with our performance, though we would have
loved to have had a couple more wickets. But all in all, a job well
done and a step closer towards achieving a life long dream.
The beginning of the third and final day, the
thirst and the fire still burning in us, we went to the Oval. Fresh
in our minds was the Great Centenary Match in 1979 and the Thomian
grit. This time around, there was no letting up, as we bundled out
another 3 batsmen before lunch to have them at 7 wickets for 180.
Except for Jerome with 29 runs and Kaushik with a hard hitting 31
not out, the rest didn't offer much resistance. It was a matter of
time before the inevitable!!
Soon after lunch with the advent of the second
new ball, Chanaka wiped out any hope the Thomians may have harboured
of prolonging the game. A beautiful spell of swing bowling to which
the Thomian tail did not have an answer. I still recall, soon after
lunch, Suresh Thevanayagam (a left hander) leaving a ball outside
leg stump as he was comprehensively beaten and bowled around the
legs by a big in-swinging beauty from Chanaka. The Thomians folded
up for 188 runs after lunch on the final day - we had picked up the
balance 3 wickets for a further addition of 8 runs.
We bowled 106 overs in the second innings on a
wicket that progressively became much easier hence not providing
much assistance to the bowlers. Once again Rochana got 4 wickets,
while Jura and Chanaka took 3 wickets apiece. We had been on the
field for almost five sessions of play and a combined 158 overs.
Barring a few slips late in the afternoon on the second day of the
Thomian second innings, our overall fielding was of a very high
calibre. The tangible realization of the faith placed in all the
hard work invested over such a long period of time.
We had to make a further 21 runs to win the
match and we rattled It off without losing any wickets to romp home
by 10 wickets. There were some superb performances in the match -
the best of which is the best ever all round performance by a
cricketer in the series. An unbeaten 145 and a match haul of 9
wickets for 73 runs by Rochana Jayawardana.
To me this was a well knit unit which had a
will and a determination to succeed and was driven by a coach/es
with the same common goal in mind. It was a side that had played
together for a long time and knew one another^ strengths and
weaknesses and was willing to rally together in achieving a life
long ambition. A right Royal victory. The rest is history.
