The Royal-Thomian - 130 years on:
The Battle of the Blues Steeped in tradition
Gayathra MANAMENDRA
The most looked forward to sporting and social event in the calendar
of both past and present Royalists and Thomians, the Royal vs. S.
Thomas' big cricket match will be played for the 130th time on the March
12, 13 and 14 at the SSC at Maitland Crescent in Colombo.
S. Thomas' College Mount Lavinia, a private Anglican School has about
2,400 students on its roll while Royal College Colombo, a Government run
non-denominational school has approximately 8,000 students.
Origins of Ceylon Cricket
History records S. Thomas' College Colombo (first in Mutwal and later
in Mount Lavinia) as the first school to play cricket in Ceylon (as Sri
Lanka was then known). In 1864, S. Thomas' has played the first match
against the small Pass Cricket Club in Colombo. The result is recorded
as an 8-run victory for the College. More importantly this 1864 match
has gone down in history as the first recorded Ceylonese Cricket match
played in the country. From 1864 to 1877, S. Thomas' has continued to
play matches against the clubs - including the elitist European
dominated Colombo Cricket Club - as there was no other school played
cricket during that time in Ceylon.
The Royal-Thomian Big match celebrations |
The sub-warden of the College Reverend Felton Falkner, a Cambridge
'Blue' has rendered Yeoman service to develop cricket at S. Thomas'
during those initial years. A pioneer of cricket in Ceylon, Rev. Falkner
has coached the boys and was the Thomian Cricket Captain for several
years.
Mr. Ashley Walker also a Cambridge 'Blue' arrived in Ceylon in
January 1877 to take up duties at the Colombo Academy in the Pettah
(later renamed Royal College and shifted to Ried Avenue). Mr. Walker
started coaching the Academy boys and organized the first Academy
cricket team in 1878. The very first 'College vs. Academy' cricket match
(as the Royal-Thomian was then called) was played in 1878. Incidentally
this is the first cricket match played by the Colombo Academy, thus
becoming the second school to play cricket in Ceylon.
Although the scores are not given, the result is recorded as a win
for the College team by an innings and 3 runs. The second match in 1879
has ended in a win for the Academy team by 56 runs. But both these
matches are not taken into account as masters played in both teams.
The first schoolboys only 'College vs. Academy' match was in 1880. J.
W. de Silva captained the Academy and F. W. McDonnell led S. Thomas'.
The result was a 62 runs win for the Academy.
World class cricketers
Since the 1880s, the hallowed match, which is the oldest
uninterrupted and unbroken cricket series in the world, has churned out
world class cricketers. Royal's Dr. C. H. Gunesekera, Sargo Jayewickrema,
Col. F. C. de Saram, Sathi Coomaraswamy, C.I. Gunesekera, Gamini
Goonesena, Ranjan Madugalle and Thomians A. C. Amath, D. L. de Saram, S.
Saravanamuttu, Vernon Prins, Michael Tissera, Dr. B. G. Reid, Anura
Tennekoon and Duleep Mendis, have captained the country at different
levels against foreign teams.
Leaders as Cricketers
Even Sri Lanka's national leaders have played in the prestigious
'Battle of the Blues'. President J.R. Jayewardene played for Royal in
1925. The 'father of the nation' D.S. Senanayake played for S. Thomas'
in 1901 and 1902, and Sir Francis Molamure played also for S. Thomas'
from 1898 to 1903. Sir John Kotelawala has played for Royal in 1914 and
1915 and Dudley Senanayake played for S. Thomas' from 1927 to 1929.
National hero Edward Pedris has turned out for S. Thomas' in 1907, while
the only Ceylonese to be awarded the Victoria Cross for valour Basil
Hosfall was a bit unfortunate to be named the 12th man in the Thomian
team.
Great benefactors
Some of the great benefactors of Ceylon Cricket have also come from
these two schools. Royalist Dr. John Rockwood was the founder President
of the Ceylon Cricket Association. Thomian P. Saravanamuttu was the
first President of the Board of Control for Cricket, and President of
the Ceylon Cricket Association as well. Thomian Robert Senanayake was
the longest serving president of the Board of Control for Cricket-20
yrs. He was also the President of the Ceylon Cricket Association. The
Thomian Captain of 1899, F. L. Goonewardene of Kandy was another
prominent benefactor.
Cricket Legends
Over the years, these two Colleges have produced many cricketing
legends who went on to bring glory and honour to Sri Lanka. The first
All-Ceylon Cricket Captain Douglas Lee de Saram (1922) who's also the
first Ceylonese to get his name in the cricketers 'Bible' the Wisden
(1912) played for S. Thomas' from 1989 to 1902. William Greswell, the
top English County Cricketer who played in Ceylon during that time, has
said in an interview: "If the Ceylon players are understudying their
popular idol D. L. de Saram, they should continue to do so. No better
model cricketer or sportsman ever donned flannels in Ceylon".
Famous sports writer S. P. Foenander has said: D. L. de Saram is the
finest all-round cricketer and the most popular in the history of the
game in Ceylon. For sheer stroke production and power he has never been
surpassed and his presence in the cricket field has made him a cricket
personality second to none in the history of the game in the island.
"Royalist Ranjan Madugalle is the Chief Match Referee of the
International Cricket Council. Thomian Alfred Holsinger became Ceylon's
first Cricket Professional (in England) in 1902. Thomian Dr. James
Arthur Scharenguval is the first Ceylonese to play for a foreign country
and also the first to play against a Test Country. He played for
All-Scotland vs. South Africa in 1902 and vs. Australia in 1905. Thomian
Michael Tissera captained All-Ceylon to its first ever unofficial Test
victory over a Test Country in 1964 (Pakistan). He also led All-Ceylon
to victory over India in India in 1965. Thomian Anura Tennekoon's
innings of 169 not out against India ('74/'75) is rated as the finest
technically correct innings played by a Ceylonese in the unofficial Test
era. Thomian Duleep Mendis captained Sri Lanka to its first ever
official test win in 1985 (India) and the first Asia Cup win in 1986
(Pakistan).
Royal-Thomian series records
Royalist Sumithra 'Charlie' Warnakulasuriya's marathon 197 scored in
four and a half match sessions and spread over two days in 1980 is the
highest individual score for the 3-day match. Thomian Duleep Mendis's
champagne innings of 184 runs in 1972 remains at the top for the 2-day
match. Thomian Bathiya Karunaratne's 100 runs in 101 balls (he scored
116 in 1997 is the fastest century. Thomian Fred Thomasz's 8 for 3 runs
in 1884 in a single innings and Thomian Leonard Arndt's match bag of 14
for 55 are the best bowling feats. Another Thomian Ernest Wanduragala
has also taken 14 for 76 in 1906. The wicket keeping record goes to
Thomian Carl Cooke. He has had 9 dismissals - 2 st, 6 ct and 1 run-out -
in the 1923 match.
Not many know that the time honoured match is played for the most
coveted D.S. Senanayake Challenge Shield.
Arch-rivals
So after 129 'Battles' the score according to Royal records, stands
at Royal College won 33 matches while S. Thomas' has won 34 matches. But
according to S Thomas' College statistics the tally is: Royal College
won 33 and S. Thomas' - 35 won! The difference is obviously due to the
controversial 9-run match played in 1885. The Royalists say the match
was drawn, but the Thomians record it as a win! Since then the fierce
tussle for supremacy between the arch-rivals has brought out the very
best in 'Royal Courage' and the fame 'Thomian grit' on the field and off
it as well.
When asked to comment on the relationship between the two schools,
former Royal College principal Bogoda Premaratne has had this to say:
"There is no Royal without S. Thomas' and no S. Thomas' without Royal!"
(The writer is a Life member - Royal College Union
and the Group of '76)
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