A MEMORABLE CENTENARY SEASON
It surely must be the dream of any young
cricketer of Royal and St Thomas' to play in the annual Royal-Thomian
cricket encounter. Certainly a most cherished dream-then how can
one describe the absolutely overwhelming feeling of sheer
suspense, joy and honour at being chosen to play for Royal in
the centenary match! A sheer fantasy for those of us who were
fortunate enough to represent our respective schools, at the
centenary match of the worlds longest playing annual school
cricket encounter.
'The year was 1979 when the Principal Mr. L D H
Pieris in consultation with our master in charge Mr. V H Nanayakkara
together with coaches Mr. Gamini Salgado, Mr. Mahesh Rodrigo
(beloved uncle of mine) and Mr. Vijaya Malalasekera appointed Ranjan
Madugalle as captain of the Royal College Cricket Team. Ranjan was
re-appointed captain for the centenary as he was the ablest and the
most competent at the time, he was already captain of the Sri Lanka
under 19 Schools cricket team.
It was a happy time at Royal, those days when
we had Mr. L D H Peiris as Principal ably assisted of course by Vice
Principal Mr. E C Gunasekera. I am sure many of us who reflect on
those times can not help but feel so gratified that Royal shone in
virtually every field of endeavour. Be it sports or academics it
certainly qualifies to be called one of the golden eras of our
beloved alma mater.
The sheer determination of our coaches to
discipline us in every aspect of the game was marvellous. They
expected the very best from us and certainly worked hard to help us
play the game as it ought to have been. The overall regimentation
and supervision by our masters-in-charge, particularly Mr H
Nanayakkara helped make us what we were then and are also today. My
team-mates and I salute these noble gentlemen for their selfless
efforts. To these men, we will remain grateful for their influence
on our lives.
Royal commenced the inter school cricket season
with nine Colours men and Ashantha de Mel who had represented Sri
Lanka schools under 19 team, in its ranks. Of the 14 encounters
during the season, Royal won eight thereby tying with Nalanda who
held the record for the most wins upto then. Royal would have held
the record of winning 9 matches if not for the caught and bowled
chance given by Vinodhan John which was (as luck would have it)
missed by yours truly against St Peters College at Bambalapitiya.
The season was relatively good for Royal with skipper Ranjan scoring
a 1000 runs, the very first for a school boy in the season. Sudath
Pasqual and Haroon Musafer scored over 500 runs respectively. The
bowling department saw Ashantha de Mel, Kesara de Costa and myself
capturing over 50 wickets each. Wicket keeper M.N. Perera proved his
excellence with 50 victims.
This was the first time the Royal Thomian was
being played for 3 days, until then for the past 99 years the match
had been a 2 dayer, The excitement and fervour that could be felt
around the presents of one school is very difficult to describe. The
excitement was indeed infectious, from the Principal downwards
everybody was so keyed up and simply thrilled at the prospect of the
100th Royal Thomian encounter, and we were to soon find that even
the President of our country had thought it fit to host us to a
reception at the President's House before the match. This was indeed
a very rare honour for all of us as the then President H.E.J.R.
Jayawardena was himself an old Royalist and a cricketer who had
played in the Royal Thomian. I am sure the entire team cherished the
reception the President accorded us and it will remain etched in our
memories as a truly momentous occasion.
The centenary match had created such a high
degree of enthusiasm that the old boys' union branch in Australia
had sent us the latest equipment, being tall I was particularly
fortunate in being able to play with a long handled bat which had
been sent from Australia. An interesting episode was when Royal
played Isipathana Vidyalaya. The brand new score board presented by
business tycoon Upali Wijewardena, was being used for the first time
after its installation. Mr. Gamini Salgado and Mr. H. Nanayakkara
were seated inside the scoreboard. Mr. Salgado was looking through
one of the slots in the facade of the scoreboard whilst Mr.
Nanayakkara had stuck his neck out of the facade through one of the
slots and was giving Mr. Salgado a ball-by-ball commentary. The
Isipathana Batsman hooked a bouncer off Ashantha de Mel and a
beautiful catch was coming my way. I was in position to receive this
catch whilst listening to the commentary from the head that was
stuck out of the scoreboard. Mr. Nanyakkara was saying, "The Batsman
has hooked the bouncer and a catch is coming towards Wijetunge,
Wijetunge is preparing to receive the catch. Yes it's in his hands
and or no. He has dropped the catch!"
Fortunately they scored only one run! I guess I
didn't know whether to focus on the incoming ball or the commentary
that came from the heads poking out of the score board.
Anyway it was the last delivery of the over and
I was going into bowl to the same batsman facing me and what do you
think? Yes! You guessed right. I had him bowled with the first
ball-thanks heavens for that otherwise it would have been curtains
for me.
Another interesting match was the one we played
against St. Joseph's. Josephian Skipper Lakshman Aloysious, the not
out over night batsman was at the wicket with Kesara de Costa
preparing to bowl to him. Lakshman Aloysious was visibly angry with
the three men around his bat. He haughtily indicated with his bat to
skipper Ranjan that a fourth fielder too should be positioned close
to him. Ranjan being eveready to oblige, directed a fourth fielder
in close proximity to Lakshman and there Lakshman was facing the
first delivery of the day by Kesera de Costa - a direct catch to the
fourth fielder whom he arrogantly demanded of skipper Ranjan. Pig
headedness in real life! And for skipper Ranjan - ever so typical -
giving people what they ask for.
A truly noteworthy achievement for Royal in the
centenary year was the selection of three of its players to
represent Sri Lanka at the Word Cup 1979 - Ranjan Madugalle, Sudath
Pasqual and Ashantha de Mel - a singularly honourable achievement
for our very own alma mater.
A happy memory I have of the centenary match is
the fact that I got the first wicket of the match, that I suppose
will always make it a special wicket for me.
The Centenary Team
Ranjan Madugalle (Cap.)
Pradeepa Kariyawasam (V. Cap)Ajith De Alwis
Sudath Pasqual
Rajiva Wijetunge
Haroon Muzafer
M.N. Perera
Kesara de Costa
Rohan Jurangpathy
C.P. Fernando
Ashantha de Mel
Gihan Sonnadara ]
Ajith Dandeniya ] Played During the Season
Ajith Devasurendra ]
Wirendra Perera ]
I am ever grateful to the school authorities,
our teachers and contemporaries who cheered for us throughout the
season. Their unflinching devotion and loyalty is a rare commodity
today. The magnanimous support and faith lavished on us by our
families, suffuses my entire being with a warmth that can not be
described- at the time we took it for granted, but today the
families boundless enthusiasm and faith in us brings a lump to the
throat.
"Who you are and what you become is determined
by those who love you"- they had all done their part and it was now
our duty to play the game- and play it we did a best we could! May
succeeding generations of you'll enjoy and excel in whatever
beneficial endeavours they choose-May life go on- and the game
forever.
On a personal note and in the interest of the
discerning reader I wish to record here with all due humility an
achievement that is truly unique.
Four Generations of Royalists who have played
in the Royal-Thomian cricket encounter.
Sagaradutta Sudirikku Jayawickrema better known
as 'Sargo Jayawickrema' played in the 50th Jubilee Royal Thomian
cricket match.
Following is a list of Nephews, Grand Nephews
and Great Grand
Nephew of 'Sargo Jayawickrema' who played for
Royal College.
Nephews
1. Nihal Wickramasuriya
2. (Dr) Sunil Wickramasuriya
3. Vimal Wickramasuriya
4. Mahesh Rodrigo
5. Suneetha Jayawickrema
6.
(Dr) Ranjith De
Silva
Grand Nephews
1. Rajiva Wijetunge
2. Rajeev De Silva
Great Grand Nephew
1. Dimitri Siriwardena
'4' Generations who have played in the 'Royal
Thomian' Battle of the Blues.
1. Sargo Jayawickrema 50th Royal Thomian
Jubilee Match
2. Dr. Ranjith De Silva 75th Royal Thomian Match
3. Rajiva Wijetunge 100th Centenary Royal Thomian Match
4. Dimitri Siriwardena 125th Royal Thomian Match
This is a unique achievement.
I wish my nephew, Dimitri and his team all the
very best for the 'Royal Thomian' and may the best team win!
Rajiva Wijetunge
