‘Big-Match Hype’:

Ten percent cricket and ninety percent fun

Amalshan GUNERATHNE

Singing vibrant baila tunes to roaring paparey rhythms, clad in quirky outfits they invade the streets. A sense of festivity rules, as they vociferously make their voices heard. No more tediously, monotonous class-room rules to torture them, merrily they march on. For once they have the license to truly express themselves. The big match season has come, the season where school students can go mad and cherish their youth to the hilt. The mood is pulsating, exhilarating, infectious and get your blood-cells fueling at a rate of knots. For that you call it the ‘Big-Match Fever.’

It is a whole different life-style altogether. The roaring parades with bands and other vibrant decorations swarm the streets, as the season reaches its climax. As of now, the current big-match season has reached its peak with 133rd Royal-Thomian, Battle of the Blues spectacle all set to unravel this week.

Adding more flavour to the season, for the first time in five years, Anandians too set off their big-match parade on last Friday. “It was after about five years that we organized a parade for our Big-Match. The parade was organized with great difficulty, as we needed to get permission from school authority. I thought the parade was a success and we had great fun,” An old Anandian and the joint secretary of the big match organizing committee, Manjula Wijemanne commented.

The history

We are the champs!

Hoping for the best

It all started with the Royal-Thomian dual. As it stands now, Royal-Thomian annual cricket match is considered as the second-longest uninterrupted cricket match series in the world, the oldest being the series between Prince Alfred College and St Peters College, South Australia. As the time went on, the event evolved in to a grand spectacle between the two schools.

The parades

The vibrant cycle parades are an integral part in pre-match build up. The vibrant flags and other decorations fluttering in the streets and paparey bands adding zest to the pageant, the parades create a carnival atmosphere in the streets of Colombo.

However, the cycle parade has its own fascinating history as well. Sharing his experience, a past student and now a teacher in Royal College, Annesly Rozairo noted, “School did not have that many students those days. During our times, we used to come to school in bicycles. And we used to take our cycles and visit cricket captain’s house, one day prior to the match. Then we stayed at captain’s house for tea and come out in the evening with everyone holding Vesak-buckets, lighting the whole streets.”

However as the time evolved, things have changed to a great extent. Now the parade consists of paparey bands, modern and classic cars and other whimsical items. Among all quirky stuff, the most notable addition is the Royal tradition of carrying a coffin draped in the Thomian flag during the cycle parade. “The idea is to demoralize the opposition by saying that we are coming to get you,” A past student from Royal College, Radiesha Colonne said with a feisty smile.

Touch of rowdiness

As the boys, let their juvenile exuberance go free, a touch of rowdiness is always to be expected. As the season takes over them, the more bold ones are known to enter popular girl’s schools and wrack havoc with their vociferous singing and chanting. At times, this is looked down upon by the school authorities and sometimes police are brought in to settle matters. Speaking to Punch, an organizer and a prefect of Royal College parade,Ameen Mohamed noted, “We are working with police to make sure that discipline is preserved and that no one goes beyond their limits.”

However, one could say that such acts are also a one aspect of excitement and that too is a part of all the big-match hype. “If they express themselves in a harmless manner, it is not wrong, but sometimes few tend to go beyond limits and get carried away a bit, which spoil the fun for others as well,” Rozairo said.

Fun for everyone

However, none of that could take away the joy, excitement and the sense of cheerfulness that the season carries. The season is infectious and it gets to your genes. It is a season that integrates everyone with a sense of innocent rivalry. Even girls get behind their brother schools for support. A past student from Holy Family Convent Colombo and a fervent Thomian fan,Prianil Abeynaike cheerfully commented, “I honestly do not find it crazy or absurd. But yes, as crazy as it may sound, it is one of the events that we most look forward to in the year.

And while the Royal-Thomian dual is in essence a cricket match for most of us, its only ten percent cricket and ninety per fun with lots of paparey and boys gone mad.”

Royalists at the ground	The excitement!
A class decoration	The Thomian casket
Royalists on the street	Go! go! Royal
The Ananda parade - 2012