Sports
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this the best in the series? He is none other that P.C.D. McCarthy. Many of the match records of that year have not been improved on yet. One writer wrote that "Plus & Minus" opened the Royalists innings or were they taken to be "Laurel & Hardy" I refer to "Papa". (Vollenhoven and Freddy Vanderwert. These two were no jokers! They were very serious minded. Fat tall Davd Vollenhoven and Lanky Vanderwert As for the Thomians they had 3 or 4 of the best schoolboy cricketers of that year R.B. Wijesinghe, A.R. Ratnayake, A.J. de Bruin and E. Hermon but somehow the Royalists used their ability to the hilt. Their stroke play all round had to be seen to be believed. Literally Royal ran riot, toyed with the Thomian attack and then "ran them off their feet" - Abeysekera was taken to hospital, A.B. Samaraweera, G.B.R. Symons, were absent due to cramps during the first day for the first time, members of a team suffered so much due to exertion, four hours in the sun-chasing 351 runs-all were unfit to take part after the marathon scoring spree. Of the Thomians A.B. Samaraweera was playing his first match of the season. For the Royalists Alavi Macan Markar (86) was the best effort - his graceful batting performance. David Vollenhover was "a rock" to bowl at and Pat McCarthy under whose inspiring leadership and flashing blade this amazing performances were enacted! V.R. Perera one of my class companions tore the "ball" apart. His "Hit or Miss" and he hit them quite often resulted in -1 six and 7 fours (34/52). Markar 9 fours (36/86), McCarthy 1 x6x10 fours (46/81) in 95 minutes. Edgar Hubert Royalist googly and "full" toss specialist took 2 for 0 (Duckworth and Gauder in the Thomian 2nd innings. He got them with full "tosses" took 2 for 0 and 3 for 2 runs, in the Thomian 2nd innings. At the end of 1st day S. Thomas' were 56 for 4 in 90 minutes. Abeysekera came from his sick bed & batted well to score 20 in the 2nd innings for the Thomians-true Thomian grit, but to no avail eventually. The Thomians had R.B. Wijesinghe who scored 720 runs and took 35 wkts that season. S. Thomas' were dismissed for 112 at 1.20 p.m. on 2nd day and they finished the match at 4.30 p.m. with the Thomian 2nd innings total of 152. The Royal fielding is described as brilliant. The tired Thomian fielding dropped 9 catches. Royal won after 7 years. Some odds and ends - First milk: interval in inter-college cricket was partaken in this match. (1938 - at / 1.45 p.m.) The Milk Interval came in for criticism from former all Ceylon captain who asked the question “Who started the feeding bottle?”. D.J. Kelly - Played first match of season. E.R. Hubert - First match season / Reserves - F.J. de Seram and V.H. Gunasekera /12th Man-D.L. Zoysa / Royal won First Match in 7 years / R.L. de Kretser - missed Big march due to appendix of operation / S. Thomas' reserves - Abeygoonawardena and Jayatilaka / Radio Commentary by Donovan Andree / Pat. McCarthy gave an interview on Radio Ceylon on the 2nd day- first by a school boy cricketer in Ceylon / Umpires - C.W. Vangeyzel / I. Rasanayagam - A.B. Samaraweera first match of season. Royal’s
scoring rates: D.L.
de Zoysa (12th Man played one match in 1937 season Vs Nalanda, /
And 1938 one march Vs St. Joseph’s. He was a brilliant cover
point fieldsmen. 23rd
March-(17) Combined Colleges X1 vs University College Note-Scores-(give in brackets). No. Schoolboy prior to end of world war II in 1945 has emulated him. McCarthy subsequently represented the NCC. He played for Royal College in 1935/36/37/38. In 1940 McCarthy like many other school boy sportsman joined the volunteer Ceylon Army and served as a 2nd Lt., in the Ceylon Garrison Artillery till 1945. His Commanding officer was Lt. Col. F.C.de Saram. |
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