The unpredictable Battle of the Blues from Thursday
Royal College (Standing 3rd row from left): Dinura Senarathne, Anush Polonowita, Ranuka Malaviarachchi, Ovina Ambanpola, Geesan Perera (Standing 2nd row from left): Menaka Heiyanthuduwa, Isula Geeganage, Thamod Yasoda, Rehan Peiris, Nethwin Dharmarathne, Kuchila Ranmandala (Standing 1st row from left): Sanvidu Senaratharachchi, Sandesh Ramanayake, Bulan Weerathunga, Ramiru Perera (Seated from left): Riyaz Aluher (Assistant Principal), Dan Poddiwela, M.V.S. Gunathilaka (Senior Deputy Principal), Dasis Manchanayake (Captain), R.M.M. Rathnayake (Principal), Sineth Jayawardena (Vice Captain), Prasad Weerasiri (Deputy Principal), Uvindu Weerasekara, Anura Prasantha (MIC), Rohan Soysa (Head Coach)
S. Thomas’ College could carry the edge that matters when they take on their arch-rivals Royal College at the 144th Battle of the Blues that unravels at the SSC ground next Thursday, as crowds return after a lapse of two years.
The Thomians, led by wicket-keeper batter, Romesh Mendis, come into the contest as an unbeaten team winning four games, prompting and propelling them to be ahead. In contrast, the Royalists, captained by Dasis Manchanayake, suffered a historic defeat to Trinity, ending a 130-year streak of not losing at home and another defeat against the same opponent in their last match ahead of the big match.
Locally, the only uninterrupted and one of the longest-running matches, and globally only the second-longest, would finally see spectators after a lapse of two years, owing to the pandemic. The Royal-Thomian, reputed and renowned to attract a larger crowd, has never been a complete contest without thousands thronging making the game an exciting one each second during the whole of three days.
Dasis Manchanayake - Royal Captain
In the last few years of spectator-hiatus, it was a stark contrast. Both the camps are gearing up to go into the ground before their thousands of supporters, where the game belongs.
“Last three years, we haven’t played with spectators. So it’s a new experience for the royal camp and us. Excited about the game,” said Mendis, the Thomian skipper, also the nephew of Duleep Mendis, the record holder for the highest individual score for the Thomians.
His counterpart, Manchanayake, commenting said, “I think of the 22 players of both schools, I’m the only one to have played with crowds. Since 2020. It’s in fact only an advantage for the team. Because I can share the experience with the team. It would be different from winning the shield.”
The familiar foes have been poor in producing national Under-19 caps, and Thomians have been the worst. For the first time in years, there are no Thomians in the national youth setup, but Royal have Sineth Jayawardena, to represent the Sri Lanka youth side.
Dinesh Kumarasinghe, the Thomian coach, sees this as a blessing in disguise and also is confident in compensating more caps in the years to come.
“I played a young side last year. So for the next Youth World Cup, I’m 100% sure from this team, two or three might get into the national youth team that will compete at the World Cup. This time too, we have a young side.”
For the school by the sea, of the 15 matches played, they have won four out rightly. Most of these two-day games were their traditional commitments.
S. Thomas’ College (Seated from left): Dineth Goonewardene, Akash Fernando, Charuka Peiris, Senesh Hettiarachchi, Romesh Mendis (Captain), Mahith Perera, Nathan Caldera, Senadhi Bulankulame, Kavindu Dias (Standing from left): Arith Adikaram, Shanil Perera, Abheeth Paranawidana, Thisen Eheliyagoda, Yumal Bollegala, Dhiren de Silva, Sadev Soysa, Ashen Perera, Avinash Fernando, Darian Diego
“Three bowlers have taken over 50 wickets each and three batters have scored close to 500 runs and one or two over 500 runs. After one or two years, they have had a proper cricket season,” revealed Kumarasinghe, their Big Match-winning coach in 2019.
Shedding light on their team line-up, he added, “We have nine coloursmen for the match. They will play along with two freshers.”
Of them, Nathan Caldera, a coloursman will be opening the fast-bowling for the shield holders.
On the other hand, for Royalists, having last won in 2016, they have seven coloursmen and four freshers. In this season, they have won three outright, one big loss, of the 14 games played.
Manchanayake, their all-rounding skipper, has led the way in crossing the four digit figure with a tally of 1059 and is only the second highest wicket-taker, with 28 scalps, for his team. The 18-year-old captain of the blue, black and blue boys’, speaking on leading the team said, “I’m honoured and privileged to lead the team. We’re excited and looking forward.”
Romesh Mendis - S. Thomas' Captain
“At home, when I was young, I used to think about records. But that didn’t make me play cricket. I have had the love for the game since I was small. Records didn’t push me to play the game. But hearing all those stories and conversations, made me love the game,” he said of being the third generation Thomian since Duleep Mendis.
The left-arm orthodox spinner cum skipper of Royal, on leading his side too, echoed, “It’s a great honour and I’m very happy. It’s a bit of a big pressure too because this is the biggest encounter in the schools.”
The tally presently stands at 35-all, with the highly-debated match in 1885, where Royal College was all out for nine runs and refusing to play on the second day, which was considered a win by S. Thomas’ and considered a draw by Royal.