Bens-Joes play out an exciting draw

The inaugural cricket encounter between traditional rivals St. Benedict's College, Kotahena and St. Joseph's College, Darley Road played at Kotahena on Friday and Saturday ended in a thrilling draw.

There was much excitement before the game began, because this was the first time that the two colleges were going to take the field fronting up for a trophy the - Mack-Croner trophy.

Before going on to describe what took place out in the middle, it is but right to say a few words about Malcolm Mack and Trevor Croner who were two wonderful cricketers who lit up the game during their time with their elegant and exciting batting.

Both were batsmen in the manner born and they were exciting to watch with the willow in their hand. Mack was a right hander and Croner a left hander. To them pat ball cricket was not in their get up. They were coached on the lines that the ball was there to be hit and hit it they did and the ball stayed hit, either for four or six.

Clever thinker

As captains too, they were clever thinkers and tossed the coin aiming for a decision because drawn games were anathema to them. And they instilled on their teams that it was not the winning or losing that mattered, but how one played the game.

Mack and Croner set an example which rubbed of on all their team mates and the particular game they captained, saw thrilling cricket which finally ended in a victory for Croner's Joes. Mack's Bens were gallant in defeat.

That Mack and Croner had to answer the call from god when in their prime was sad. That is why it is said that the good die young. May the turf that they walked with great dedication, devotion, determination and example rest softly on them.

To go down memory lane and now that Mack/Croner Trophy has been offered and which game would be contested for this Trophy, it must be recalled that in the not too distant past, the Bens and Joes played a 50-over game for the Rev. Bro. Alban Trophy.

Imposing pavilion

But that trophy which was offered in the name of a Director of SBC who gave to the Kotahena School the imposing pavilion and turf wickets has been sadly or conveniently forgotten. Who were the last winners and where is that trophy now! It is right that, that game be revived and played for the Bro. Alban Trophy.

To the 89th encounter and when the Josephian skipper Dinal Dhambarage beat his counterpart Benedictine Nisal Fonseka to the toss and posted a huge 300 for 8 declared, the Benedictines were up against a big ask and when they slid to 103 for 5 at the close on the first day, the Darley Road school would have had hopes of an early victory.

Helping the Joes to this big score were Keshan Perera 28, Enrico Silva 57, Jaan Jayasinghe 56, Chathuranga Kumara 23, Vidusha Jayasinghe 30 and Ramesh Vidanarachchi 28 and Dinal Dhambarage 25 not out. Eranga Ratnayake had 4 for 109.

When play began on the second day the Bens lost another early wicket and it looked as though the Kotahena school would have to face the ignominy of following on. It was then that Dinushan Wanigasuriya, the vice captain walked in to join Sandun Sampath who was batting with great aplomb.

Counter attack

Sampath and Wanigasuriya began to throw caution to the winds and mounted a counter attack which befuddled the Josephian bowlers. The batsmen would not have been faulted had they gone on the defensive considering the precarious position that they were in because they were the last of the recognized batsmen.

Left hander Sampath showed the way by playing some exquisite drives with great timing and lofting sixes when the loose ball came along. Sampath's aggressiveness rubbed off on right hander Wanigasuriya who too broke out with some elegant strokes and this helped them get on top of the bowling and bash it to any part of the field they wished.

The Bens began to breathe easy when Sampath and Wanigasuriya mixed caution with aggression and began to take them nearer to averting the follow-on. Their gallant eighth wicket stand of 130 saw them to safety before Sampath, a century-maker against President's College was out for 71.

Wanigasuriya then began to hit out freely and made a match saving 77 which runs were worth its weight in gold. Earlier skipper Nisal Fonseka played a sterling innings of 34 when wickets were falling all around him on the first day.

Thattil 5 for 64

Joes skipper Dhambarage switched his bowlers around cleverly to break this partnership. But Sampath and Wanigasuriya proved steady pilots as they steered the rocking boat to safety and saved the blushes for the Bens. Off spinner Roscoe Thattil had figures of 5 for 64.

Incidentally Wanigasuriya is the son of another illustrious Bens sportsman and soccer captain Jayantha. Jayantha was an excellent soccerite steering the green, white and green school to many trophies.

When the Bens averted the follow on interest in the game waned. The Joes collapsed in their second innings for 135. That was because the visitors' batsmen took things easy.

The bowler who caused mayhem in the Joes second innings batting was left-arm leg spinner Dilshan Perera who returned the fantastic figures of 7 for 26. That the game ended in a draw was a fitting result.

Singing and dancing

After the game followed a get-together of former Bens and Joes cricketers with the wife of Mack and daughters of Croner in attendance. The show went on to the wee hours of the morning with a variety of singing and dancing wit h the Joes promising to take the cue from the Bens and host a similar show next year.

Prominent Joes and Bens cricketers who helped make the event a memorable one were - Carlton Bernadus, Sisolough de S. Wijeratne, Arthur Hakel, Rohan Wijesinghe, Lalith Perera who was a treat at the party, Tony Gunewardena, Neranjan Weerasinghe, Lakshman Aloysius, Adrian Seneviratne, that man for all seasons Leo Wijesinghe, Joe Saverymuthapulle and his sons Joel and Jeremy, Vivian Saverymuthapulle, Keith Noyar, Kumar Sabaratnam, George Ranasinghe, Bernard Shanmuganathan, Shantilal de Silva, Felix Dias, Ravi Irugalbandara, Kelum Perera, Delly Fernando and President Old Bens SC 'John' Kennedy Machado.

The writer was in the company of Patrick Perera, a walking Wisden on Benedictine cricket, Upula 'Kukula' Fernando a legal eagle and Anton Perera, a former Benedictine basketballer. It was great to see the Director of St. Benedict's and Rector of St. Joseph's gracing the occasion. According to Supun Perera, a keen Joe cricket supporter and writer Fr. Joe de Mel, an illustrious Joes sportsman was also expected at the function, but failed to attend due to a prior engagement.