Big Match Blues in early years ....:

Dramatic collapses and Royal pull off 3rd match in 1881

By A.C De Silva

The Royal-Thomian cricket matches in the early stages of the series produced sensational scores, thereby producing sensational results.

Take for example the third clash - that's the 1881 clash on the site of Garden Gardens, which was part of President's House premises in the very early years 'ever heard of cricket therein the early days? The match was played on February 24 and 25 in 1881.

Royal College - then known as the Academy, batted first and made 110 in the first innings and yet they got a first innings lead of 13 runs as S. Thomas' were dismissed for 97 runs in the first innings.

The Academy who later came to be known as Royal, were shot out for 15 in their second innings. However, the Academy were yet able to pull off a win, as the Thomians on that occasion collapsed dramatically for only 20 runs in their second turn. So, the Academy won the match by a more 8 runs.

Though winning the match and going two-up in the series played by the boys only (first ever match in 1879 had masters too playing), the Royalists partly would like to forget crowing too much about the match itself, as they had ten 'ducks' in the match, four in the first innings and six in the second innings. O. Van Hoff, Wilfred de Kretser and C.C. Van Rooyan scored a 'pair' with C. de Silva missing a 'pair' being not out O in the second innings after getting out for a 'duck' in the first innings.

The Thomians were beaten in the race for 'ducks' and they got 7, with skipper F.W. McDonnell and W.E. Grenier getting a 'pair'. The match was a whole duck pond.One would have naturally expected the Thomian bowlers to capture top honours, but, actually, it was a Roualist A. Weinman who took 10 wickets, getting 3 wickets in the first innings and seven in the second innings.

The best bowler in the Thomian side was D. Wendt who had a hand in 9 dismissals .... four in the first innings and five in the second innings.

SCOREBOARD

THE ACADEMY – 1ST INNINGS
O. Van Hoff by Wendt	  			00
A. Jansz run out	 			10
C. de Silva c McDonnel b Wendt	  		00
C. Walloopillai c and b De Saram	 	13
J.W. de Silva c Wilkins b McDonnel	 	39 
Wilfred de Kretser c and b Wendt	  	00
A. Weinman c Wilkinson b De Saram	  	01
William de Kretser lbw b Wendt	 		14
B.W. Bawa c McDonnell b Orr	  		09
C.C. Van Rooyen b Wendt	  			00
H. Dickman not out	 			11
Extras	 					13
Total					       110

Bowling: D. Wendt 5 wkts, De Saram 2 wkts, Mc Donnell 1 wkt 
	 and C. Orr 1 wkt

S. THOMAS’ - 1ST INNINGS
F.W. Mc Donnel  b Weinman	  		00
C. de Saram b De Silva	  			03
C. Wickremasinghe b Weinman 	  		03
E.R. McDonnell b Dickman	 		23
W.B. De Saram b Dickman 	  		09
D. Wendt c Dickman b Weinman	  		04
C. Orr b De Silva	 			16
T. McLead run out	  			05
C. Wilkins b De Silva	  			04
W.E. Grenier run out	  			00
R. Heyzer not out	  			00
Extras	 					30
Total	 					97

Bowling: A. Weinman 3 wkts, H. Dickman 2 to wkts
	 C. de Silva 3 wkts, J.W. de Silva 1 kts

THE ACADEMY – 2ND INNINGS
O. Van Hoff lbw b McDonnoll	  		00
A. Jansz b Wendt	  			00
C. de Silva not out	  			00
C. Walloopillai run out	  			04
J.W. de Silva b Wendt	  			02 
Wilfred de Kretser run out	  		00
A. Weinman c Orr b McDonell	  		02
William de Kretser run out	  		06
B.W. Bawa b Wendt	  			00
C.C. Van Rooyen c De Silva  b McDonnall	  	00
H. Dickman c McDonnell b Wendt	  		00
Extras	  					01
Total	 					15 

Bowling: D. Wendt 4 wkts, Mc Donald 3 wkts.

S. THOMAS’ - 2ND INNINGS
F.W. Mcdonnel b Weinman	  			00
C. de Saram c De Silva b Weinman	  	00
C. Wickremasinghe run out	  		03
E.R. McDonnell b Weinman	  		04
W.B. De Saram b De Silva	  		04
D. Wendt b Weinman	  			00
C. Orr b Weinman	  			01
T. McLead not out	  			03
C. Wilkins b Weinman	  			00
W.E. Grenier b Weinman	  			00
R. Heyzer run out	  			02
Extras	  					03
Total	 					20

Bowling: A. Weinman 7 wkts, C. de Silva 1 wkt