THE ROYAL VICTORY OF 1991
By Rohan Iriyagolla
With a side packed with nine coloursmen and having
enjoyed an unbeaten season, Royal went into the 1991 Big Match, the 112th
Battle of the Blues, as firm favourites. However, the Royal - Thomian is no
ordinary cricket game and we knew that the form book and past records would
count for little - the fact that we had beaten the Thomians the previous
year would only serve to enhance the determination of our opponents, and the
under-dog had turned tables on more than one occasion in past Big Matches.
Having said that though, the weight of all generations of Royalists' - both
past and present, ex-cricketers and expecially non-cricketers - expectations
of a victory lay heavy on the team's shoulders and contrbuted to a tense
atmosphere in the dressing room on the first day morning of the Big match.
Our
initial apprehension was eased with the capture of two early Thomian wickets
by our pacemen. However, the Thomians then went into lunch without losing a
further wicket, posting a half century stand for the third wicket, with
Harindra Aponso compiling a half century. Nevertheless, our bowlers struck
immediately after lunch and thereafter there was little resistance, apart
from a quick - fire knock of 45 by Gimantha Jayasinghe, as the Thomians
folded for 167 runs just before tea. Fresher Sampath Elvitigala created
history by taking a wicket with his first delivery in a Royal - Thomian and
ended up with three scalps. Although losing three quick wickets to Thomian
spinner Miqdad Marzook by the close of the first day, Royal recovered
through a century partnership between centurion Nigel Fernando and Suranga
Lokubalasuriya, to declare at an imposing 289 for five wickets. At the end
of the second day, the Thomians were in deep trouble, losing five wickets
without having erased the deficit and victory was in our sight. While the
Royal supporters somewhat prematurely celebrated into the wee hours of the
morning, the Thomians dug in on the final day and dogged resistance by their
tail enders saw them prolong their second innings until just after lunch.
The wickets were shared amongst all the frontline bowlers, with Udaya
Wijesena standing out with four wickets. Royal knocked off the required 29
runs for victory, losing just one wicket on the way, thus winning the 112th
battle of the Blues and recording two consecutive wins for the first time
since 1947.
While it
is a privilege to play in any Royal Thomian match, it is a greater privilege
to be a member of a victorious Royal side in a Royal Thomian. However, this
victory was not only due to the efforts of the eleven members who took to
the field - the victory was made possible due to the efforts of the Masters
- in -Charge, Coaches, all members of the 1st XI pool and last,
but by no means least, all Royalists - past and present. Aside from the
cricket though, the friendships that were built on the field that day have
been maintained and indeed been strengthened during the course of time, with
both Royalists and Thomians.
My best
wishes go out to both teams - May the better team win and may they play in
the true spirit of the game to provide the spectators with a memorable three
days of cricket.
What's in a Name .............?
It was the good old Bard, W Shakespeare who, in one of
his plays (if you are the literary type, you will know which one), wrote the
famous words - What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name
would smell as sweet. Indeed, names can sound funny and/or embarassing Yet,
it's the holder that really matters. So, we would find people of many walks
of life carrying names that would convey different meanings, some funny,
some embarassing.
On the
cricket field itself, there are many, who, ironically enough, carry names
that would raise a chuckle, though they may be intrinsically good people.
Thus, for example, we have Kanthilal Khanji, Zimbawian umpire, who was
replaced on the international panel by Tiffin. We have Orchard of SA, Dickie
Bird, Kitchen and Constable of England, Dunne ofNZ, Hare ofOz, Dilley, who
wouldn't dally to deliver his fiery cannons or Lillee, whose truculence had
nothing lilly-white about it and god knows how many more. Perhaps good
friend Mahinda Wijesinghe could throw more light on this.
However, an enterprising author, ironically by the name of John Train, in
his book "Remarkable Names of Real People" has carefully compiled a series
of names that would set off a happy and curious train of thought in the
reader. Just a few of them along with some indications of authenticity, in
case you have any doubts., may rouse your curiosity. Here are some of the
names 'researched' by Train, to pull your stitches apart!
1. Sodawater Bottlewalla, Bombay, India (New York
Times),
2. Silence Bellows, Editor, Christian Science Monitor,
3. Shine Soon Sun, Houston, Texas,
4. Mrs. Screech, Singing Teacher, Victoria, Columbia,
5. Preserved Fish Jr., Born 1766, Partner in firm said
to market whale oil,
6. Miss Pensive Cocke, Secy., US Army Air Corps
7. 0. Hell, contractor, Alto, Adige, Italy.
8. Original Bug, Liverpool, England ("Liverpool Echo")
9. J Badcock., Editor, London
10. Prof. A 0 J Cockshut
11. B. Growcock, Teacher, Washington, D C
12. D Grewcock, Stockbroker, New York
13. Mrs. V D Whynot, USA
14. Warren Peace, Williams College, Massachusettes
15. Welcome Baby Darling, Geenwich, Connecticut
16. Dr. Zoltam Ovary, Gynaecologist, NY Hospital, NY
City.
17. Cardinal Sin, Archbishop (Manila), Phillippines.
18. Rev. Christian Church, Florence, Italy
19. Cigar Stubbs, Buraeau of Statistics, Florida
20. Anne Aass, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
21. Rev. Canaan Banana, African National Council,
Zimbabwe
22. Fanny Fingers, MY City
23. Firmin A Gryp, Banker, North California Savings and
Loans Association
24. Adolphe Faux-Pas Bidet, Commissaire de Police,
Paris
25. Lavendar Sidebottom, NY City
26. Major Minor, US Army
27. John Senior Junior NY City
28. Plummer & Leek, (Plumbers), Sheringham, Norfolk
29. Cumming & Gooing, Louisiana, NY
30. Crapper Ltd., Toilets, London, England
(Thomas Crapper's biography is aptly entitled Flushed
with Pride)
And you
wouldn't like to believe that there actually is (was) a firm of lawyers by
the name of Lawless & Lynch in Jamaica NY.
As S J
Perelman states in his Preface to the book by Train, ....The people listed
herein are not fictional characters laboriously devised by the sophomoric to
tickle the funny bone. They are real individuals afflicted like the rest of
us with flatulence, the common cold etc; folk who consult horoscopes and
send their wet wash to the laundry, fret about this and that and somehow
survive under the burden their parents have laid on them at the baptismal
font. Because they exist, they do excite a dual response from us: an
astonishment that dissolves into laughter and a tremendous relief that our
name is pedestrian., unless, of course, you are an Armenian, whose name is
Pedestrian,...
So, now
you know what's in a name. Perhaps you' 11 know better when you get to know
that Cocke had done all the shooting and, by a curious quirk of justice,
poor Baltsz had to hang.!
And while we are at it, let us also remember that
Shakespeare himself was Shakespeare. How apt and true when you lull over the many
erotic verses oozing from his magical quill! Yet, his name will smell just
as sweet, wouldn't it?
- Nom De Plume. -
Back
