Royal College team toured Australia in 1936

by A.C.De Silva

FLASHBACK: The year 1936 was a outstanding year for Royal in their cricket history. It was a historic year for Ceylon Schools Cricket.

For the first time in the annals of Ceylon Schools Cricket, a school’s team toured a foreign country – Australia.

The team that toured Australia was the Royal College team after their 57th Royal-Thomian cricket match played at the NCCC Grounds.

The Royal team that went on tour comprised G.R.J. De Soysa (Captain), W.B.V. Thiedeman, D.R. Vollenhoven, E.F.E. De Kretser, F.H. De Saram, S. Pathmanathan, P.J. ‘Keo’ de Saram, M. Sivanathan, Pat McCarthy, D.R.R. Porritt, L.E. De Zoysa, R.L. De Kretser, S. Coomaraswamy.

When the Royalists played against Melbourne High School, they faced one Australian by the name of Keith Miller – then a tiny fellow not more than 14 years.

In that match, Keith Miller did not score many many runs, but the Australian captain in that match, but he had the talent that one day he would play for Australian team and it came true.

On Royal’s tour of Australia, Lucian de Zoysa was Royal’s opening batsman and he never bowled a ball except at the nets when he would try his hand at leg-spin.

Grimmott – the Australian, having observed this asked Royal’s captain Ryle de Zoysa where he fitted into the team.

He was told that Lucion de Zoysa should bowl leg-spin. Lucian, quick on the uptake, took his advice and so he was removed from number 1 re number 11, becoming first change bowler for his school, club and for All-Ceylon for several years to come.

SCOREBOARD
		
S.THOMAS’ COLLEGE 1st INNINGS
W. Jayatilleke lbw b Theideman			02
N. Scheffer lbw b Pathmanathan			05
D. Bartholomeusz b Pathmanathan			04
D. Fairweather b Pathmanathan			02
N. Siebel not out			       151
S. Thabrew c Sivanathan b De Soysa		20
C. Cotelingam b De Soysa			05
R.B. Wijesinha c De Seram b Pathmanathan	57
D. Caldera lbw b Thideman			00
S. Anthenisz c De Saram b Sivanathan		15
G. Weeratunga c De Saram b Pathmanathan		05
Extras						20
Total 					       286

Fall of Wickets:1-9,2-15, 3-15, 4-19, 5-59, 6-65
		 7-201, 8-202, 9-269
Bowling: (Royal): W.B.V. Theideman 18-1-59-2
	 S. Pathmanathan 13-3-27-3
	 E.F.E. de Kretser  10-0-36-0
	 M. Sivanathan 19-4-47-1
	 G.R.J. De Soyza 11-1-46-2
	 D.R.R. Porritt 2-0-21-0
	 P.C.D. McCarthy 4-0-16-0
	 L.E. de Zoysa 5-0-14-0

ROYAL COLLEGE 1ST INNINGS
L.E.de Zoysa st. Bartholomeusz b Weeratunge 	27
D. Vollenhoven c Siebel b Weeratunge		26
E.F.E.de Kretser c and b Weeratunge		34
F.H. De Saram c Fairweather b Anthonisz		25
P.C.D. McCarthy lbw b Anthonisz			98
G.R.J. De Soysa lbw b Fairweather		23
W.B.V. Theideman c Bartholomeusz b Fairweather	11
U.T. Pereralbw b Anthonisz			20
M. Sivanathan not out				09
D.R.R. Porritt not out 				01
Extras						15
Total (for 8 wkts dec)			       289

Did not bat: S. Pathmanathan
Fall of Wkt: 1-49, 2-60, 3-96, 4-165, 5-224, 6-246
		 7-271, 8-283
Bowling: (S.Thomas’)S. Thabrew 11-4-21-0
	 S. Anthoniaz 41-14-59-3
	 R.B. Wijesinha 18-2-42-0
	 D. Caldera 7-2-15-0
 	 D. Fairweather 16-2-33-2
	 G. Weeratunge 28-3-101-3
	 C. Cotelingam 4-2-3-0

S.THOMAS’ COLLEGE 2ND INNINGS
W. Jayatilleke not out				72
N. Scheffer not out				54
Extras						 8
Total (for no wkt - dec) 		       134

Bowling: (Royal): W.B.V. Theideman 6-0-28-0
	 S. Pathmanathan 8-3-20-0
	 E.F.E. de Kretser  6-1-13-0
	 M. Sivanathan 9-1-23-0
	 G.R.J. De Soyza 5-0-26-0
	 L.E. de Zoysa 3-0-16-0

ROYAL COLLEGE 2ND INNINGS
L.E.de Zoysa not out				21
D. Vollenhoven c Bartholomeusz b Weeratunge	05
E.F.E. De Kretser not out			05
Extras						01
Total (for one wkt)				32

Fall of Wkt: 1-17
Bowling: (S.Thomas’)S. Thabrew 2-1-1-0
	 S. Anthonisz 7-1-11-0
	 R.B. Wijesinha 6-2-5-0 
	 D. Fairweather 2-0-3-0
	 G. Weeratunge 7-1-11-1