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by Dinesh Weerawansa

Bowlers called the tune on the opening day of the 124th Battle of the Blues three-day cricket encounter between Royal College, Colombo and S.Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia at SSC Grounds, Maitland Place in Colombo yesterday.

In reply to Royal's modest first innings total of 219 all out, S.Thomas' were three down for 97 at close. Leading mobile communications provider, Dialog GSM is the proud sponsor of the second oldest continuos annual cricket match in world sports history.

It was a day dominated by the bowlers during which 13 wickets fell for 316 runs (13 for 257 runs at one stage), despite three half centuries - two by Royal and one by Thomian skipper. Both teams opened their respective first innings in almost similar fashion losing three early wickets and a good fourth wicket partnership. Royal slumped to 29 for 3 last morning and later in the evening, the Thomians too experienced the same bitter experience when they struggled at 28 for 3.

Nevertheless, the day belonged to Thomain vice captain Tharindu Fernando, who came out with a penetrative spell of 7 for 60 off 21 overs. The left-arm paceman bowled to a good line and length and never allowed the powerful Royal batting to settle down. Skipper Arjuna Rajawasam surprised many when he decided to field first after S.Thomas' won an important toss last morning. The wicket looked a batsman's friendly one but Rajawasam had other ideas.

The Thomian skipper kept total faith on his pace trio of Tharindu Fernando, Shehan Shanthikumar and Pramuditha. Rodrigo, who have been their trump card. The Thomian quick bowlers immediately go their act together and responded positively for their captain's call. Especially deputy Tharindu Fernando fired some threatening deliveries to Royal batsmen, who were all at sea.

The only two bright spots in the Royal innings were half centuries by two down batsman Naveen Dias (50) and last year's captain Ganganath Ratnayake (76). But the rest of the batsmen failed against some hostile Thomian bowling, piloted by Fernando. S.Thomas' never looked back and had the first Royal wicket in the third over of the match as it looked like Dimithri Siriwardena becoming a victim of a controversial leg before decision after he was trapped by a high ball from Fernando.

However, that would in no way take off the credit due to Fernando who almost single handedly ran through Royal batting. Merely 48 hours after Royal made 182 for 2 to win a Lemonade trophy first round match, the Reid Avenue boys were shot out for 219 mainly due to some excellent bowling by Fernando, who had Royal opener Siriwardena (0) and Thushara Edirimuni (0) in his second and third overs respectively. Both these batsmen were trapped leg before wicket and in total, there were four lbw decisions against Royal batsmen, three off Fernando's bowling.

Royal's hopes of even a modest total looked slim when they lost No.4 batsman Naveen Dias (50 off 64 balls in 119 minutes with nine fours) with the total reading at 101 for 6 in the 29th over. But experienced all-rounder Ganganath Ratnayake took up the challenge and did the recovery work with support coming from bowler turned batsman Tharaka Kottahewa, who chipped in with useful 30. The pair shared a useful 86-run seven-wicket stand, which made sure Royal pass 200-mark. Ratnayake played an intelligent innings with his experience and had one six and 11 boundaries in his 119-ball knock, which took 164 minutes, and was the ninth man out.

When it came to S.Thomas' turn, Royal bounced back and gave them their own medicine. The Thomians openers Perera and Warnakumasuriya brought the total up to 26 before disaster struck them, losing the first three wickets within the space of just two runs off ten balls. First change bowler Dias bagged two and opening bowler Jayaprakash one as S.Thomas' were reeling at 28 for 3. It was then that skipper Rajawasam proved the saying 'attack is the best form of defence' with an explosive 51 not out off 49 balls with one six and nine fours. He shared an unfinished 69 run stand for the fourth wicket with J.K. Silva (15 n.o) in 17.3 overs.

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