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| Sunday, 26 February 2006 |
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Royal - Thomian back into full force this year by Ranjan Anandappa The 127th 'Battle of the Blues' cricket encounter between Royal and S. Thomas' will be in it full force with the usual fanfare and fun when it gets underway from February 9 to 11 at the Sinhalese Sports Club grounds, Maitland Place. Dialog GSM will sponsor the event for the sixth year in succession. The 126th encounter between the two schools was played on a low key last year due to the December 26, Tsunami of 2004, but this year elaborate arrangements have been made by the Royal- Thomian Joint Committee to have it in the same manner like in the past. Captain Ajith Pieris, Chairman Royal- Thomian Joint Committe said that this 'Big' encounter between two great schools is only the second oldest cricket match in the world. He said that the first ever Royal -Thomian match began in 1878, but there were no scores available. The following year the match was played between the staff members of both schools, and in 1980 the real test between the two schools began. The thought of a Join Committee for the 'Battle Of the Blues " encounter really conceived in the minds of the old boys of both schools in 1946, but it became a reality only in 1967, said Pieris. "The Committee organising the event this year will provide better facilities to the spectators and will introduce time honoured traditions and niceties which will bring back a sense of sportsmanship among players, sporting behaviour among the crowd and nostalgic memories among all. Dr. David Ponniah, the Warden of S. Thomas' College, a former Thomian opener, who had the distinction of scoring a century in the big match series, reminded that there is no Royal without S. Thomas'and likewise there is no S. Thomas' without Royal, recalling a saying by an old faithful. He observed that the cricket is always intense, but it is played in the highest traditions of sportsmanship. The Thomians, having won last year's encounter, must be prepared for the reaction from the Royalists whom he was certain were going to come out fighting. He wished both teams well, and special mention was made of the numerous sponsors who had come forward to support the two schools and thanked Dialog for their significant sponsorship. The Principal of Royal Upali Gunasekera said that the last Royal-Thomian match was held in low key on a directive of the Department of Education due to the Tsunami disaster. Both teams came to a agreement to share their grief with the rest of the nation. He said that an event of this magnitude cannot be successfully conducted year after year without the dedication shown by the Joint Committee comprising old boys from both schools, supported by present teachers and students. The cost of playing cricket at any level is increasing and the organisers could not have staged this match without sponsors, and to Dialog we owe a big thank you , he said. A website (www.royalthomian.lk) was launched by the two heads of the schools, probably the first such site of its kind in the country. Profiles of both teams, statistics of past matches, scorecards, results, photo gallery, famous player articles, college songs etc. could be obtained from the website. The site will also provide the facility of purchasing tickets online a service hosted by Sampath Bank. The CEO of Dialog GSM Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya along with the Managing Director Sampath Bank Anil Amarasuriya demonstrated the purchase of online tickets making the first transaction. Dr. Wijayasuriya said that the event has been sponsored for the 6th year
in succession and no doubt that it is a big social event with new dimensions
and a key event of the sporting calendar. |
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