The 94th "Battle of the Blues in Kandy":

Trinity - St. Anthony's Encounter to rock the hills

S. M. Jiffrey ABDEEN - Kandy Sports corr.

Trinity College will have the edge but St. Anthony's College could turn the tables when these two teams clash in the hill capital's 94th "Battle of the Blues" which will be played at the Asgiriya Stadium this Friday and Saturday with play commencing at 9.45 a.m. on the first day and at 9.30 a.m. on the second day.

This is the second oldest big match in the hill capital dating back to the 1905 and has been played every year except in 1916, 1956, 1957 and 2000 due to various reasons. Trinity College who dominated the school's cricket scene in the early stages lead the series with 22 wins against 12 wins by St. Anthony's College who have come with some impressive wins in the post war era.

In fact between 1952 and 2009, the Trinitians have managed a solitary win in 1986 under Thushara Weerasuriya while the Anthonians have won about 8 matches. Their last win came in 1992 under Umesh de Alwis. Thus this match has not produced a result during last 17 years.

Trinity dominated this series in the early years to such an extent that they won 11 matches in a row from 1918 to 1928. The Anthonians won in 1929 before Trinity won in 1930, 1931 and in 1933. This period also showed that Trinity won 14 matches against 1 by the Anthonians and this helped the lions to lead the series and it will take a very long time for the Anthonians to overtake the Trinitians.

The highest individual score in the series is held by A. C. M. Lafir of St. Anthony's College who made 176 and was associated with Ronnie in a record opening stand of 266 with Ronnie Stevens making 106.

In 1955 too Ronnie Stevens made 103. He is the only Anthonian on record to have scored two separate hundreds in the big match. Late Charlie Joseph came close to it when he made 95 not out in 1959 when he ran short of partners. But in 1960 he made 127 and was crowned the Daily News Schoolboy Cricketer of the year in both years. Lionsman T. B. Werapitiya's record for Trinity is little better than this.

He scored 100 in 1940 and 143 in 1944 and missed a third century in 1942 by a mere four runs when he made 96. The highest individual score for Trinity is by Kaushalya Weeraratne who made 148 in 1999.

In bowling the best bowling effort in the series is by spinner Sudanga Fernando who took 10 for 38 in 1997. Perhaps this is the only occasion in which that a bowler had captured all ten wickets in an innings.

The highest total by Trinity is 426 for 8 wickets declared in 1942 and the record for the Anthonians is 399 for 7 in 1954. The lowest total in the series is by St Anthony's College who were dismissed for 27 in 1928 and the wrecker being C. Thalgodapitiya who took 6 for 10. The lowest total by the Trinitians is 54 in 1990.

The comparison of this season's performance by the two teams shows that Trinity has played 18 matches, winning 7 (Sri Rahula, Holy Cross, Revatha, Richmond, St. Anne's, St. Thomas and Royal) lost 1 (St. Joseph's) and drawn 10. St. Anthony's College have played 14 matches, won 2 (Vidyartha and Dharmaraja) lost 2 (St. Sebastian's and St. Peter's) and drawn 10.

It is 7 wins against 2, thus the Trinitians will certainly have the edge on their rivals.

Trinity College will be led by fourth year coloursman Mohamed Sajid who despite missing the services of his two key bowlers led his side to seven outright victories. Leg spinner Akila Jayasundera was injured and off spinner Rushan Jaleel was doing junior national service with the Sri Lanka under 19 team.

Their main run getter is opener Niroshan Dickwella who has scored 947 runs with a top score of 158 not out.

Off spinner Suresh Wickrema is their highest wicket taker with 78 wickets. The team is coached by Sampath Perera with Vinod Wishnuwarthan as Master-in-charge.

St. Anthony's College will be led by fifth year player Dulash Kumarasinghe who has scored 450 runs. In batting their main hope will rest with opener and fifth year colourman Hiran Wickremasekera who has scored 1118 runs including three centuries. Last year too he passed the 1000 run mark.

But the Anthonians will depend heavily on the performance of their allrounder Adil Reyal who has scored 510 runs and also captured 70 wickets with his left arm spinners. Last year he scored 750 runs and captured 80 wickets. Therefore the Anthonians will look upto him and Hiran Wickremasekera to claw the marauding lions. Tharaka Jayasinghe will spearhead the speed attack with Kanishka Ranaraja with Sumudu Liyanage being the third pacie but they have not impressed much this season.

Their main spinner will be left arm spinner Adil Reyal. The other spinners are off spinner Eranda Seneviratne (32 wkts), off spinner Arvinda Premaratne (34 wkts), off spinner Thushan Hettige and left arm spinner Milinda Ranasinghe who has captured 17 wickets including a match haul of 10 for 56 against Dharmaraja College played three days ago.

The Anthonians are coached by old Anthonian Champika Siriwardena.

The team

Trinity College (from): Mohamed Sajid (captain), Kithmal Wimalaweera (vice captain), Akila Jayasundera, Rushan Jaleel, Suresh Wickrema, Shameera Wijesuriya, Aamil Anas, Kavinda Jayasuriya, Rajitha Jayatunga, Niroshan Dickwella, Heshan Wanniarachchi, Chinthaka Gokula, Kheliya Athugoda, Gehan Bopitiya, Tissa Sanjeewa Bandara, Janith Premasinghe, Dinuk Weeraratne, Dinuk Wickremanayake, Thushara Gunatissa.

The team

St. Anthony's College (from) Dulash Kumarasinghe (captain), Hiran Wickremasekera (vice captain), Adil Reyal, Manoj Sarathchandra, Eranda Senaviratne, Yohan Woods, Tharaka Jayasinghe, Milinda Ranasinghe, Arvinda Premaratne, Pulasthi de Silva, Kanishka Ranaraja, Supun Ranaraja, Aruna Bandara, Kasun Karunaratne, Thushan Hettige, Dimantha Ekanayake, Sumudu Liyanage.