Thomians clinch E.F.C. Pereira Challenge Trophy

By Sajeewa JAYAKODY

S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia beat Royal College, Colombo for the first time after seven years to win the E.F.C. Pereira Challenge Trophy in the annual tennis encounter, which was played at the S. Thomas' College hard court, Mount Lavinia yesterday.

Thomian Navin Gunawardena sent Royalist Umesh Sooriyabandara 9-8 crashing out after a grueling two-hour match which went onto a deciding tie breaker at 8-all to clinch the deciding match for the trophy.

Lalith Senanayake, the captain of the 1958 Royal College tennis team was the chief guest at the event.

Results:

Under-19: Navin Gunawardene (S. Thomas' College) beat Umesh Suriyabandara (Royal College).

H.A. Wickramasinghe (S. Thomas' College) beat Druuvi de Silva (Royal College) 9-4.
D. Abeywardene and D. Fonseka (Royal College) beat A.N. Perera and A. Muthugla (S. Thomas' College) 9-4.

Sharmal Dissanayake (Royal College) beat Sachin Karunanayake (S. Thomas' College) 9-0.
V.K. Hulangamuwa and W.J. Edward (S. Thomas' College) beat R. Udisthran and S. Abeynayake (Royal College) 9-5.

Under-15: Akshath Perera (S. Thomas' College) beat S. Kirubhakaran (Royal College), Amandha Gunawardene and Dulitha Ellawalla (S. Thomas' College) beat M. Wafa and T. Munasignhe (Royal College), S. Sansoni and Thuwargan Sabesan (S. Thomas' College) beat P. Sooriyabandara and P. Samarasignhe (Royal College) Anarga Peiris (S. Thomas' College) beat K. Abeynayake (Royal College).

Under-13: J. Jayasekera (Royal College) beat Akith Gunawardena (S. Thomas' College).

Avindra Perera (S. Thomas' College) beat Avika Kelegama (Royal College). Yasith Ratnayake (S. Thomas' College) beat V. Jayasuriya (Royal College).

M de Silva and K. Makumbura (Royal College) beat I. Raji and T. Jayaratnam (S. Thomas' College).
N. Silva and I. Azeez (Royal College) beat Kiran Ranatunga and Senal Alwis (S. Thomas' College).