FORE THE BLUE BLACK AND BLUE FOR
EVER......
My connections with STC
go a long way, even before I was born. My father (SHL) and my
three brothers (YDL, SDL and PDL) and two grand uncles DD & HD
Abeygoonawardena (DD played for the Big Match in 1929) were all
College Prefects who distinguished themselves as Thomians in
many ways. They laid the path for me. But my initial direct
contact with STC commenced from the time I was a few months old
when I was baptized at the Chapel of the Transfiguration.
My first recollection of
the Big match is going for a major carnival with my three brothers
and my father. It did not mean much at that time except that I hated
the royalists and always wanted to shout Royal Parrippu!! I wanted
to boo as soon as I saw a royal flag being carried. I think I
escaped from being massacred or severely beaten only due to my age.
I remember my mother making a Golly which was much better looking
than the one sold by KARTI. A College T-Shirt, Golly pinned. Flag in
one hand and some wooden rattle that you turn which makes a big
noise. This particular instrument is no more seen at big matches. Of
course my mother used to pack us some sandwiches and a bottle full
of drinks before sending us off to the match. These were my initial
years at the Royal Thomian Big Match. I would shout so much that the
next few days my voice would be missing. I remember Mr. Bartholomew
my choir master warning and advising me before the match not to
shout and ruin my voice. It is such a difficult thing to do! But 1
managed it for the first hour.
Then as my brothers grew
older they wanted to go with their friends. Since I had three of
them I would tag along with one of them. Now I realize what a pain I
was to them, but for me that was one of the benefits of having
brothers. My friend's parents used to send their sons only with me
since they knew they had extra protection since I was going with my
brothers. The Boys tent was the place where we had great fun. Papare
Band in full flow, Prefects leading the cheering we were so
engrossed in the world of cricket. I was very lucky as throughout my
younger years at least one of my brothers had been a prefect. What
is more they had enough and more (soft) drink coupons which they
felt obliged to share with me when ever I needed one. At this age
the most interesting thing at the match was shouting at Royal and
watching the match very seriously.
I remember an incident
when we were in the middle school when some of my friends tried
their first cigarette in the toilets of the Boys' tent. Somehow the
word had got out and the next day Sub Warden and Warden questioned
us. I very well remember how Sub Warden took my hand looked at it,
smelled it, and asked if I too smoked. I never did. But who would
believe me I was with the people who smoked. I was told to give the
names of the people who smoked. This was impossible since they were
my friends. I had only one option. I asked my friends if they would
own up. This they did. They were warned but not punished since they
owned up.
The cycle parade was
another major event before the big match. Usually it's a bicycle
ride starting from college going to the cricket captain's house.
This was modified as time went by in order to go past as many girls'
schools as possible and also the timing was changed according to
which girl school vans would be passing us. It was here that the
more influential boys or the different clicks of friends used to
pool and get a jeep hired to lead the parade. During this period of
our life the most important thing was winning the Big match.
As we approach upper
school, the meaning of the big match takes a different emphasis. If
you ask a student the day after the match as to how some person got
out, I can guarantee that 80% will not know how. This is due to many
reasons. The Roy-Tho is a function for many things. For some try to
drink till they are totally intoxicated; some want to finish off the
fight that they could not finish in the chapel gardens; for some
they want to take revenge from the royalist who accidentally rang up
his girl friend; some want to finish the fight they started during
some sport, while a major portion would try to find their future
partners seated somewhere in the stands. The stewards and the
college prefects are the best for this. They are the most
outstanding at the match. Sometimes you find them asking a friend to
run to the pitch and they run behind trying to bring him back just
to impress their intended sweet hearts to see. I remember an
incident when a former H.P ran behind a guy and he fell trying to
tackle him and when he got up his white clothes were all brown. I
think he mistimed his tackle. That was not his lucky day. Also the
prefects used to hire an EBERT Bus and have the papare playing
inside. The Thomian prefects always had an edge over the royalists -
apart from the obvious we had only a few in numbers when compared
with the royalists. This too became an advantage to attract the
fairer sex.
This is the only time we
see some of the teachers in "not a teaching mood" I can remember
there was a certain section of the staff that used to always come
for the big match. I think they were the real Thomian teachers. I am
sure most of these teachers too wanted to really "let go" and enjoy
the match like we did, but for their bad luck Warden was seated on
the stand above them and I am sure kept his eye on them.
In my last year in
school, as the Head Prefect and Tent Secretary for the match, I had
much responsibility. Although many thought this was the best chance
for me to attract the opposite sex, it was in no way possible. From
the time of ordering the Pung hats from Wadduwa to getting the
badges and gollies done and getting the souvenir out with the
advertisements on time and arranging the boys tent band was quite a
task. At the match it was a Herculean task trying to keep the
stewards and prefects who were easily distracted and wanted to
attract the fairer sex focused on their duties. The experience I
gained handling the boys' tent at the big match has immensely helped
me in my day today life as well.
Well if you are reading
this I am sure you have come for the match. A little advice for next
year. If you want to watch cricket stay at home and watch it on TV.
If you want to have three days of GREAT FUN come for the match. I
wish both teams all the very best. Thomians I am sure will keep the
flag flying. To all spectators of all ages and sizes hope this big
match would be a memorable one. Keep on batting!!
Be Thou For Ever !!!
Dayan D L Fernando
