Darrell Maye 10 for 82 bowled Wesley to 5 wkt win over Royal in 1962!

by Dilwin MENDIS -Moratuwa Sports Corr

CRICKET: The game of cricket is unpredictable at times that's where the result is concerned and there has been occasions where the 'underdogs' have come on top, displacing the favoured teams.

Inter-school cricket has captured the hearts of many people right down the years and one of the matches that stood out was the Royal-Wesley encounter of 1962 that's 48 years ago.

What made this encounter so very interesting was the fact that in the Royal team was a pace bowler of repute Darrel Lieversz who had the distinction of running through the Peterite batting, capturing 6 wickets for three runs in 8 overs of which were seven maidens on day one.

Then came Royal's turn to play against Wesley at Cambell Park on February 23 and 24. On the first day of the match, the Ceylon "Daily News" in its preview of the match had the headline: "Lieversz vs Wesley" at Campbell Park.

So what was on most Royal supporters mind was it going to be another Lieversz domination this time against the wesleyites.

Those days Wesley had no turf strip, they had to play their home matches on the matting wicket at Cambell Park. Now Lieversz was coming determined to cause have against the Wesleyities. but he had to bowl on the matting.

And it was Darrell Maye with a match haul of 10 for 82 who bowled Wesley to victory. Royal made 162 and 136. Wesley got: 170 and 136 for 5 wickets. Darrell Maye is 'no more' but his bowling beat will be remembered for many years to come.

Playing their 'home' matches on matting those early days, Wesley had moulded themselves into somewhat of powerful unit. Wesley did wonders in this match under the leadership of L.C.R. Wijesinghe did wonders against the Royalist who were led by Darrell Lieversz.

Royal won the toss and decided to bat and were somewhat shocked to be all out for 169 with the top score of 73 by S. S. Kumar and 21 by S. Thiagarajah. Darrel Maye was the top Wesley bowler and captured 6 for 41.

There was 45 minutes play remaining on the first day and Wesley coach then B.J.M. Bahar (snr) and asked the regular opening pair to stand down and asked Milroy Muthuvaloe and Mervyn Hamer to open the innings. Coach Bahar asked the two openers to take strike about a foot in front of the popping crease and hit the ball as hard as possible among the ground.

Then the Wesley innings began and Royalists were poised for the 'kill'. Muthuvaloe - the make-shift opener addressing umpire Lappen shouted: 'Sir my off-stump please." The umpire and Royal fielders were somewhat puzzled especially skipper Lieversz. Wesley were 34 for 1 wicket at the end of the first day.

Came day two the Wesley coach Bahar's plans worked and Wesley were all out for 170 which gave them a one run lead on the first innings. For Wesley, Kenneth de Silva made 44, Muthuvaloe 30, Sarath Wickramaratne 26 and Darrel Maye 24. For Royal, skipper Lieversz had 4 for 44, T.R. Jansen 2 for 19 and Sugi Rajaratnam 2 for 20.

So, innings in the second turn of Royal was going to be crucial, but the Royalists couldn't do much and were bowled out for a paltry 136 which gave them a lead of 137 runs.

So, Wesley had somewhat of a comparatively easy task of winning the match as the lead was not a much of a score to get and Wesley had a good enough batting line-up to get those runs.

For Royal in the second innings, Lieversz got 30, Vijay Malalasekera 31 and R.C. de Silva 28 were the chief scorers and Darrel Maye taking 4 for 41 which gave him eye-catching match-figures of 10 for 82 - a truly fine piece of bowling. There was also Kenneth de Silva who took 3 for 18.

So, it promised to be somewhat of a close finish, but Wesley batsmen had determination written all over their minds and made 136 for loss of five wickets to win the match. Wesley skipper Lalith Wijesinghe (37), Evo Schoorman (23), Sarath Wickremaratne (32 not out) helped them along to their victory target.

Royal's skipper Lieversz was not successful with the ball though his bowling was economical, giving 31 runs away in ten overs without taking a wicket. R.C. de Silva was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 50.