Big Match fever - harmless and fun

Gayanjith PREMALAL

ANNUAL ENCOUNTER: Lord Byron wrote, “The days of our youth are the days of our glory”. I consider this to be the attitude of the Big Match revellers, too.

The period between mid-February to the end of March is the time when Colombo and other main cities in the island get filled with the cheerfulness or the high spirits of the youth created by the Big Matches between main boys’ schools.

The whole of Colombo city is covered with flags of the cricket playing boys’ schools. Near the schools the pavements are filled with various items such as school flags, wristbands, caps and masks.

As the Big Matches come closer and closer it is hard to find a school van or a school bus that does not have a flag popping out of a window. Anyone who goes around the streets cannot but hear the cheers of the students of the respective schools.

The Royalists cheer their College team by shouting “R... O... Y... A... L... ROYAL!!!” And so do the other schools such as Ananda, Nalanda and S.Thomas, of course with different words, tones and tunes.

Finally when the Big Matches really start we can see gangs of boys walking around the S.S.C. grounds cheering their school teams and using even slang.

The Big Matches have a great history. The Battle of the Blues between Royal and S.Thomas has the longest Big Match history in the island. The Battle of the Blues came into being as far back as 1880. And it is the second oldest annual encounter in the world.

The Big Match players and fans are aware of this history. That is why we cannot say that these boys cheer their schools without knowing the meaning of the Big Matches.

Truly the Big Matches mean a little about cricket. It is a social event to get together, to renew old relationships and friendships and to have harmless fun. The Big match means a lot not only to the youth but also to the old.

When the great event draws closer, the Colombo streets get decorated with the college colours. I know some do spraying graffiti on the walls. I know that it is not acceptable. But it is the spirit of the youth finding an outlet.

If the Big Matches were played secretly without even letting the other schools know the enthusiasm of the respective schools, what is the meaning of playing a Big Match ? Then it will not be a ‘Big’ match.

But the students must keep in their mind that whatever they do is closely related to their schools. If a student behaves badly people will blame not only the student but also the school. So the students have to enjoy without harming anyone. Only then can the students safeguard the reputation of the school.

When we talk about the collection we cannot guarantee that the money so collected is put to good use every time. But most of the girls in leading girls’ schools like to empty their purses into the hats. And most of the girls are waiting for the hat collectors.

Most of the girls’ schools in the city are made aware of the Big Matches by these hat collectors. And I think it is a way to unite with the spirit of the youth. No force can stop this bond.

The cycle parades are one of the ways to show the support of the schools as one camp. The Principals and teachers of the respective schools too join these parades because they want to make sure that the boys do not do any harm to society.

Most of the girls’ schools are waiting for these cycle parades to begin because they want to cheer their favourite schools and ‘boo’ the schools they dislike most.

The girls too enjoy the spirit of the boys’ schools and carry the flags of their favourite schools. That is why I say the Big Match fever is purely harmless, fun that exhibits the high spirits of the respective Leading schools in the island.

When the Big Matches start the whole city is filled with the sound of the papare bands. The boys carry their flags and cheer their schools around the cricket grounds.

Youth is life’s season for enjoyment. So we cannot stop the mischievous behaviour and playfulness of the students of the respective schools. After all youth is synonymous with adventure, playfulness and mischief.

The principals of the leading schools know the value of a Big Match. It is one of the most important events in the school calendar. So it is not to be spoiled, nor is it to be frowned upon by society. It is a way of making society aware of the cheerfulness of the season.

Supposing that no Big Matches are played in Sri Lanka, how can a school show their spirit ? Education is not only book learning.

So let us not look at the Big Matches, prejudiced by a wrong point of view. Let the youth in this island rise. Let the cubs of the island roar. The future of Sri Lanka Cricket is in the hands of the Big Match players.

Big Match fever is the most wonderful memory of these youth. So let them enjoy it without harming anyone.

Therefore the students must keep in their minds that they represent their schools and they must make sure that no harm is done to anyone by their acts of pleasure. Then only will the Big Match fever end up as purely harmless fun as it ought to be.

The writer is a student at Royal College, Colombo 7.

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Menace is increasing

Sunil JAYATUNGA

FUN: At Trinity with authoritarian, aristocrat Cedric Oorloff at the helm, it was no organised cheering, the scholars had to wear school uniforms and sit on the terrace, wave school flags, clap uniformally, and cheer ‘Come on school’.

Anyone caught to his binocks, which he used more, not to see the match, but catch culprits, would be reprimanded severely. It was sheer monotony on the Trinity side in the sixties. No fun, no menace.

There was of course the exception of Kotal and Perumal dancing on the boundary line after their visit to the Mahaiyawa tavern with contributions from both present and old boys.

At St. Peter’s the Catholic fathers made preparations from the beginning of term one. The best of coaches, old boy cricketers assisting at practice even during school hours, and the talk at the ole club was cricketing strategy. Teachers salaries were paid in advance.

Cycle parades, buses booked well in advance. Dad’s ole’ cab would be decorated, and ‘Aunty Miso’ was the mascot!

It was all fun, Holy Family Convent gave a holiday on Friday more to avoid the menace, but the girls loved it and were present well in time to see the first ball being bowled.

The Royal-Thomian was the ‘it’. Even schools in remote areas followed the Big-Match tradition mainly trying to copy the big one!

It was always fun and menace mixed, but taken in good spirit. Street parades, hat collections, the Kollupitiya tavern closing early and sending the St. Bridget’s nuns on pins and Toa-spray sending messages on parapet walls which were often lovingly mingled with the added filth too.

The legendry ‘Kadale’ playing hell in heaven, it was fun and menace of very high quality. Ananda-Nalanda, Isipathan-Thurstan and way up in the hills, Dharmarajah-Kingswood or Vidyartha-Sylvesters were more imitations filled with rough house tack-ticks and crude jokes taking a violent turn.

Now most schools have ‘Big Matches’ and have established traditional rivals, where the rivalry has gone beyond control with bus stand violence, fighting with even weapons and knuckle-dusters have been seen where brilliant cricketers have had to seek even police protection.

The old theme was ‘It was not whether we won or lost... but how we played the game’, while the tense, hot competition was turning big matches into schools opting to win by all means ‘hook or by crook’!

The umpires dread to stand in the middle. Riot squads have to be called in on the last day with police dogs and mounted police. The police are mostly helpless as very big-shots or their children are the main offenders.

The lasses loved it to get in to their sexy kits and sip beer in coke bottles with straws and join in parading the grounds. However as match ends, it is safer for them to run along home!

The stag-nights are enjoyed mainly by the old boys. A stag night VCD sold like hot cakes and the Principal was forced to leave. It had crude songs and semi-nude dancers performing, not being a menace but not also being fun.

Earlier the matches were two-day affairs which ended up as a draw Some schools extended it to three days. Tickets were being sold and the big ones took a commercial turn with sponsorship and TV coverage.

Sporty declarations did not come by and individuals went for big scores and records and it was common to see many captains bowl, and bowl and bowl! Bad appeals, dashing of bats, glaring at umpires and not walking out when given out were adding to the menace of ‘Big-Matches’ and ruining the fun.

The fun is dying fast and the menace is taking over except for a very few top big matches where celebrations go on, ole’ friends meet, fellowship keeps moving with batch meetings - even having flights from abroad for ‘Big-Matches’ being chartered. The fun is dying while the menace in ‘Big-Matches’ is increasing.

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They bring out hidden talents of youth

N. U. Abdul RAZZAK

SPORTS: Students are the backbone of a nation. Sri Lanka which boasts of producing over 85 per cent of literacy rate has a perfect educational system which consists of book learning and extra curricular activities such as physical education and sports.

The inclusion of sports plays a key role of building a healthy generation for the rapid development of the nation. Physical education and sports activities help all the students in no small way to build their personality.

However, there are a few activities which have gone past the boundaries causing indiscipline and inconvenience.

The big match is one such fever which gives some side ill-effects while giving much pleasure to the schools concerned and sports lovers.

Though the big match is not a menace it has become a source of inconvenience to some members of the society as some groups of students make use of this opportunity to achieve their own schemes.

Money, certainly is the root of all evil and it is not an exception for students when they join a bad group. So the practice of collecting money should be stopped forthwith.

Parents of the students can contribute for the school to get a fund to meet the expenses. When groups of students start collecting money there can be a number of irregularities.

Firstly they can use it for taking alcohol, smoking and so on. Secondly there will be no accountability for the money collected on their mission. Thirdly students may find it as an easy way of getting money.

Then, the big match can very often create clashes between groups of students of the respective schools participating in annual big battles.

We have witnessed a number of innocent students get beaten when the matches ended. Therefore the administration of the schools should make it a point to prohibit students from fighting and even shouting vulgar words proving that they have discipline on and off the field.

Some of our women very often are at the receiving end whenever a big event is staged. We have seen women being treated as things of fun when some students go round the city when a big match is to be played. So no student should be allowed to pass any unwanted remarks at them.

Today, the shortest version of the game the Twenty-twenty has found a dominant place among the cricket lovers. Why can’t our schools think of accommodating it in our annual features thus saving time and importantly money.

Cricket is a game of uncertainties which brings glory to all. Our annual big matches bring out the hidden talents of youth. But discipline should be the number one yardstick for this. The shortest version of the game is the ready-made solution for this.

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Should death be the penalty for rape, child abuse and drug trafficking?

In Sri Lanka, whenever the crime rate goes up or disturbing criminal acts occur, there is one topic that comes to the forefront of public debate: capital punishment.

Although the death penalty has been recognised as a form of punishment by the Penal Code of Sri Lanka, death sentences have not been carried out since 1976.

As a result, whenever crimes appalling to the human conscience have taken place, whether it be the Hokandara mass murder, the rape and murder of Indian beauty Rita John, the kidnapping and murder of nine year old Sadeepa Lakshan or the killing of Justice Sarath Ambepitiya, the implementation of the death penalty has always become the talking point, with popular public opinion favouring its implementation and human rights activists lobbying against such a move.

Whatever the arguments for and against the execution of the death penalty are, the fact remains that the criminal law of Sri Lanka still recognises capital punishment as the penalty for certain offences such as murder and waging war against the State.

But, are these the only offences deserving death penalty, or are there other equally, if not more, heinous crimes that warrant the ultimate punishment?

For instance, one could validly question as to why the widespread offences of rape, child abuse and drug trafficking ought not to be countered with the death penalty, given the horrendous nature of these crimes and the impact they have on the victims as well as the society as a whole.

Take the case of a rape victim for example. Not only is a woman subjected to rape physically defiled and burdened with a possible unwanted pregnancy, the horrifying nature of the crime leaves a lasting trauma on the mind of the victim, and often destroys her future life in the backdrop of the social stigma attached to such persons.

The fate of a child subjected to sexual abuse by an adult is no better. In fact, the mental distress and other effects of the crime are often more grave on a victim of child abuse owing to his/her tender age, and could obscure all future prospects of innocent childhood.

Although lacking the immediate horror attached with rape or child abuse, drug trafficking is considered by many among us as another crime having a similar destructive effect particularly on our younger generation.

Moreover, unlike most criminal acts, the consequences of drug trafficking are not confined to one or few particular victims, but takes its toll on thousands of lives.

Given this grave nature of these offence, one is justified in questioning whether it is fair to let the perpetrators of these crimes get away with a mere term of imprisonment while they have caused irreparable damage to the lives of their victims.

Indeed, these crimes are punishable by death in many countries. Have your free say on the above issues on Daily News Debate. Our topic for the coming months is ‘Should death be the penalty for rape, child abuse and drug trafficking?’.

Send in your views in 750-1,000 words) to ‘Daily News Debate’, Daily News, Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited, PO Box 1217, Colombo, or via e-mail to [email protected] before March 31, 2007.