130th encounter from March 12 to 14 at SSC grounds:

Royal odds on favourites to beat S. Thomas’

by Jatila KARAWITA
 

Royal College, 1st Row (seated - from left): M. T. A. Rauf (SGM), Bhanuka Rajapakse, Haroon Mowjood, Yasitha Abayakoon (Capt), Upali Gunasekera (Principal), Kusal Perera, Maneesha Thanthirigoda, E. G. M. Rajakaruna (MIC), Gamini Perera (Coach) 2nd Row (Standing - from left): Chalaka Bogoda, Lakshitha de Silva, Sahan Hettiarachchi, Kithruwan Vithanage 3rd Row - (Standing from left): Aqueel Sathuk, Dhanika Rajakaruna, C. Devasurendra, Lakshan Landewela, Ramith Rambukwella, Charutha Rajarathna, Anjula Rajapakse, Tharindu Abeysekera.

CRICKET: One of the world’s most longest and unbroken cricketing traditions between two schools will come alive when the 130th Royal-Thomian cricket encounter - the blue-ribband of local big match season will be played on March 12, 13 and 14 at the SSC grounds, Maitland Place.

This age-old series has been a much looked forward to event in the cricketing history of this country. Begun as far back as 1879 in the 19th century, the Royal-Thomian series has no doubt blazed a trail never witnessed in any sport before.

From Independent Ceylon’s first Prime Minister Don Stephen Senanayake (STC) to post-Independent Sri Lanka’s first Executive President Junius Richard Jayewardene (Royal), to the country’s first-ever Test winning skipper Duleep Mendis (STC) to the current Chairman of national selectors Asantha de Mel (Royal), both these two schools in this country have helped to shape the political and cricketing landscape.

Come March 12, 2009 it will be the turn of the young Royalists and Thomians to take the cue from their illustrious and distinguished predecessors continue to carve a niche in the annals of not only in this timeless cricket series, but also in the cricketing firmament of Sri Lanka.

S. Thomas’ leads 34 wins to 33

Royal led by left-arm quickie Yasitha Abayakoon will start this hallowed three-day match, as odds-on favourites to add to their series tally of 33 wins. S. Thomas’ lead in the 129-match series with 34 wins.

The lads from Reid Avenue, have posted no less than nine outright wins while remaining undefeated and it will be nothing but a quirk of fate if they are not able to turn their overall superiority on paper, to a well-deserved outright victory on March 14 (Saturday).

Team work

Royal’s success for this 2008-2009 inter-school cricket season has hinged on team work, with the blue and gold team excelling in all departments of the game. What is even more stunning in their winning spree is the fact that they became the only team to overcome both Ananda and Nalanda and that says quite something about this outfit.

Royal also saw off the challenge of Trinity College, Kandy, Dharmaraja College, Kandy, Richmond College, Galle, St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa, St. Benedict’s College, Kotahena, Isipathana MV, and Lumbini MV respectively. Royal’s forte will undoubtedly be their batting with the two left-handed middle-order batsmen Bhanuka Rajapakse and Kithruwan Vithanage having compiled over 1,000 runs during the season. Number four batsman Rajapakse has accumulated 1,084 runs while Vithanage has aggregated 1,074 runs, making them difficult customers for the Thomian attack.

Among the rest who could be depend to add more thrust to the batting department of Royal will be deputy skipper and number three batsman Kusal Perera who has topped the 820-runs mark so far. Perera, who is also the wicket-keeper of the side, has stood out in that department of the game as well, having a hand in over 40 dismissals including six stumpings. Opener Sahan Hettiarachchi with close to 600 runs will be another who will need watching by the Thomians. The highest wicket-taker for Royal this season has been their left arm-leg spinner Maneesha Thanthirigoda who has bagged close to 70 wickets thus far being backed up well by his spin twin and fifth year coluorsman and right-arm leggie pint-sized Haroon Mowjood who has claimed close to 45 wickets.

Royal captain and fourth year coloursman Yasitha Abayakoon has also stood out with over 40 wickets, while leading from the front.

S. Thomas’ ‘underdogs’

Meanwhile, S. Thomas’ College, captained by third year cap and hard-hitting left-hander R. Nirrushan will head into this game as `underdogs’ following a lacklustre campaign.

S. Thomas’ has won three matches another two outright. It will be nothing short of a miracle if the lads from Mount Lavinia are able to get up a win.

S. Thomas’ College: Seated (from left): Lakmal de Zoysa (MIC), R. Nirrushan (Capt), Harshana Perera (Acting Warden), Dinesh Walpita (V. Capt), Faheem Saleem (Sec), 1st Row standing (from left): P. Wijewardena, K. Perera, R de Silva, S. Liyanarachchi, H. D. K. Silva, D. Wickremaratne, L. Peiris, A. Kerner, S. Peiris, H. A. T. Fernando. Back Row standing (from left):W. A. I. Fernando, L. J. de Silva, D. Dolapihilla, C. Kumarasinghe, R. Mathugama, C. Fonseka, H. T. Ariyaratne, S. C. V. Pathirana, N. Wickremasekera.

But cricket is a funny game and sometimes the least expected happens. S. Thomas’ will hope for something extraordinary to take place for them to have any chance of making this game really competitive one.

The Thomians’ outright wins have come against Dharmaraja College, Kandy (innings and 1 run), Isipathana MV (4 wkts) and Wesley (9 wkts) while they were beaten by Ananda (5 wkts) and St. Joseph’s (innings and 26-runs) respectively.

For S. Thomas’, their mainstay in batting in likely to be opener Faheem Saleem who is their leading run-getter with over 1,000 runs this season.

Besides Saleem, the rest who could be counted on to prop up their batting would be skipper R. Nirrushan who has notched up over 650-runs so far.

The Thomians who are fielding a fresher-laden outfit this year with no fewer than 10 of them, will be under tremendous pressure to stave off from a possible defeat in this match.

Fresher and left-arm leg-spinner Chamal Fonseka who has snared over 70 wickets will be the bowler the Thomians will pin all their hopes on to keep a tab on the free-scoring Royal batsmen.

Royal’s last win was posted in 2006 under Nadun Punchihewa, while S. Thomas’ last prevailed in 2007 under Ashan Peiris.

Teams

Royal (from): Yasitha Abayakoon (Capt.), Kusal Perera (V. Capt.), Chalaka Bogoda, S. Hettiarachchi, Bhanuka Rajapakse, Kithruwan Vithanage, Haroon Mowjood, Maneesha Thanthirigoda, Lakshitha de Silva, Ramith Rambukwella, Charutha Rajaratne, Anjula Rajapakse, Tharindu Abeysekera, Lakshan Landewela, C. Devasurendra, D. Rajakaruna and Aqueel Sathuk.

S. Thomas’ (from): R. Nirrushan (Capt.), Dinesh Walpita (V. Capt.), Faheem Saleem, Ashane Fernando, Chamod Pathirana, Chamal Fonseka, Lalindra Peiris, Anuja Fernando, Chulaka Kumarasinghe, Sachin Peiris, Pasan Wijewardene, Aldrin Kerner, Kavindu Perera, Sachinda Liyanarachchi, Roshan de Silva, Raveen Mathugama.