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| Sunday, 9 November 2003 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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History of Royal-Thomian - the second publication The history is of special significance as it is the second time in the history of the two institutions that a publication of this nature has been organised jointly by the Old Boys Associations of the two schools. The first was the Centenary History published in March 1979 which has been included as Part I in the present edition. The history which runs into 300 glossy pages contains contributions from former captains and distinguished players in the series. In Part I on the Royal side among those who have contributed articles are an interview with Sir John Kotelawala recalling his cricketing days in 1914 and articles by F. R. de Zoysa and D. W. L. Lieversz (Snr) covering their respective cricketing periods. There are vivid descriptions of the 1916 and 1925 matches by Sumedha Roberts and President J. R. Jayewardene respectively. There is also an interview with N. Kandiah who led Royal to a thrilling victory in the Jubilee match of 1929. F. C. de Saram discloses The Little Known Facts of the Match whilst The Impossible Finish of 1951 is aptly written by the Commentator. Vijaya Malalasekera recounts his experiences on the 1962 match. On the Thomian side in Part I among those who have contributed fascinatingly nostalgic articles are Jackson Smith on the 1913 match, former captains Rev. A. E. Crowther, P. B. Bulankulame, A. Lankatilleke, C. E. L. (Kalla) de Silva and Rudolph Jayatilleke reminiscing on their respective cricketing encounters. R. B. Wijesinha writing on a Hundred Unbroken Years, a former All Ceylon Captain Michael Tissera reminiscing on his years 1954-1958 and Premalal Goonesekere recalling the circumstances that brought about the 8 wicket victory to the Thomians whom he led in 1964 and "The Champagne Innings of Duleep Mendis in 1972" are among the several other contributions to the history. Among the articles that are being reproduced from previous publications dealing with the Royal-Thomian are C. O. Siebel's "Impression of the Great Game - the First Match of 1880". Edmund de Livera on the Big Match of 1892, F. L. Goonewardene's "Some Famous Thomian Cricketers of My Time - 1893-1899" and Frank Ondatjie's "My School Day Impressions". Poems of champions of Light Verse by Archdeacon De Winton at the 1920 big match, "Lines on the Royal-Thomian Match" by Major H. L. Reed, L. W. de Silva's "Grande Certamen" with an English translation paying a tribute to Normal Siebel's record-breaking innings of 151 not out in 1936 and the Royal-Thomian Tradition by Mervyn Casie Chetty. There is a parody by Gallinago on the match of 1953. In Part II among those who recall their reminiscences are Pradeep Kariyawasam in an article with an apt title "So near and yet so far" and Mahinda Halangoda in an article with an equally apt title "Thomians are never dead till they are buried" on the Centenary match. Anura Bulankulame in his article titled "The day Royalists sang the Thomian Song" recalls the innings victory of the Thomians in the 109th encounter. Others who have contributed their reminiscences are Chulaka Amarasinghe and Udaya Wijesena who led the Royalists to victory in 1983 and 1990 respectively and Ganganath Ratnayake on the Royal side whilst Naren Ratwatte, who piloted the Thomian victory in 1999 and Arjuna Rajawasan with his article titled "In unwavering pursuit of the Gold in 2002" complete the story on the Thomian side. William Jayetileke, the oldest living Thomian Captain in the series who scored 110 not out in the second innings of the match in 1937 and won the game for the Thomians recalls the "Royal-Thomian Spirit in the unbroken 125 years." A noteworthy feature of the history is that Parts I and II contain the full score cards of the 124 matches from 1880 to 2003 whilst Part III contain statistics updated to 2003. Team photographs and reminiscences from several cricketing luminaries who wield their pens with grace that recalls the elegance they displayed on the cricket field during that period. Part III of the volume contains statistics updated to 2003. The Royal College Union and S. Thomas' College Old Boys Association are indeed grateful to the compilers, Nihal H. Gunaratna, a senior partner of the Law Firm, Julious and Creasy (a co-compiler of Part I) who has spearheaded this publication and also compiled several publications for S. Thomas' College Old Boys Association, C. H. Gunasekera (also a co-compiler of Part I) who played in the big match for Royal College from 1947 to 1950 captaining the team in 1949 and later played for All-Ceylon in 1951, D. L. de Saram, a senior partner of the Law Firm, D. L. & F. de Saram who played in the big match for S. Thomas' College from 1967 to 1969 and M. L. Fernando, Senior (collection) Manager of The Finance Company Limited who is Recorder for the Royal College Union, for having accomplished this task admirably. They are responsible for the edition in its present form, a mine of information and which will prove an invaluable memento for succeeding generations of Royalist and Thomian cricketing enthusiasts. It will become part and parcel of the hallowed tradition of these two institutions that old boys bequeath to their children and grandchildren. The History is destined to be a collector's item securing a permanent place on the bookshelf of every Royalist and Thomian who will cherish it as a keepsake of a proud unbroken record of 125 years of the greatest of all sporting encounters in Sri Lanka, or perhaps in the world, has ever seen. |
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