Two evenly balanced teams battle at the SSC...... :

Royal and S. Thomas’ need something special for result

by Ranjan Amandappa

When two evenly balanced sides confront each other for supremacy in a game like the 136th ‘Battle of The Blues’ cricket encounter between traditional rivals Royal College and S. Thomas’ College, the unexpected or something extraordinary should bring out the desired excitement.

The spectators who will gather in numbers at the Sinhalese Sports Club grounds in the three-day contest which begins on March 12.

Royal , under their new coach-former Sri Lanka Test cricketer and ODI specialist Avishka Gunawardena has reached remarkable heights this season by winning seven matches outright.

Gunawardene who has a positive frame of mind like his batting feels that coaching is always a challenging job. “When I was the coach of SSC there was not much of a challenge as the players were grown ups and seasoned players. Later I thought of taking up a more challenging job and coaching a school like Royal is certainly a big challenge. ” he said.

Royal have played 17 matches this season and have won 7 matches outright and lost one to St. Peter’s.

The team is led by third-year colousrman Harith Samarasinghe an up-and-coming all-rounder who could bowl his left-arm leg-breaks effectively. He has taken over 70 wickets this season.

He has also batted competently to score over 400 runs. Royal’s top-order batting has been impressive with almost every player scoring runs.

Openers Hasitha Samarasinghe (850 runs), Navin Vidanapathirana (closing the 1000 run-mark), Deputy skipper Geeshat Panditharatne (Over 700 runs), Randev Pathirana (over 700 runs and 35 wickets) and last year’s skipper and Sri Lanka Schools representative Chamika Karunaratne (Over 400 runs and 35 wickets) and wicket-keeper Thiran Dhanapala have pushed Royal to be a strong outfit this year.

Royal strong outfit

Royal seems to be having more variety in their bowling. Besides their opening bowling combination of experienced Chamika Karunaratne who ran through the Thomian batting two years ago to beat them, the spin combination of the two left-armers skipper Harith Samarasinghe and Lasith Embuldeniya also over 70 wickets against his name, have been the ‘bug bear’ to most of their opponents. The presence of Randev Pathirana a front line batsman who could also bowl off-spin and Shan Tennekoon another left-arm leg-spinner make the Royal attack look a well-knit combination.

From the Thomian point of view, they also possess a competent batting line-up. Skipper er Helakamal Nanayakkara has performed as a batsman and a opening bowler with 620 runs against his name. Deputy Danush Peiris, Nipuna Gamage (Over 650 runs with a century), Sachita Jayatileka (400 runs and 30 wickets with his spin bowling), Chenuka Wickremasinghe (One drop bat with two centuries) and accomplished all-rounder Tharindu Ratnayake who is ambidextrous (Who could change his bowling if necessary and a hard hitting left – hand batsman) could make a big difference to the Thomian side. The others who have been among the runs for the Thomians are Yohan Mendis and Ravindu Kodituwakku who could beef up their batting.

Thomians – well balanced

The Thomian skipper Helakamal Nanayakkara said that his side is a well balanced one and will take the field with confidence and said that the supporters of both sides should be provided with some entertaining cricket for three days.

Helakamal Nanayakkara will spearhead the bowling with his medium pace partnered by Senal de Silva. The left-arm leg-spin of Tharindu Ratnayake and the right-arm leg-spin of Sachita Jayatileka should play a pivotal role for the Thomians.

The SSC wicket traditionally helps the medium pacemen during the first session of play and it gradually transforms to a slow turner thereafter.

In the 135 matches played so far in the series, both teams have won 34 matches each with 67 encounters ending in draws. Royal last won in 2013 under Devin Pathmanathan and the Thomians last defeated Royal in 2007 under the leadership of Ashan Peiris.

Warnakulasuriya (Royal) - top score 197

Sumithra Warnakulasuriya (Royal) holds the batting record for the highest individual score 197 in 1980. He surpassed the previous top score of 184 by Duleep Mendis (S. Thomas’) in 1972.

Rochana Jayawardene (Royal) has the record for the Best All-round effort in the series (145 n.o) and a match bag of 9 for 73 in the 1983.

The highest partnership in the series is the for the third-wicket 254 in 1996 set by Royal’s Anoushka Polonowita (165) and Yasas Dharmaratne (124). The highest partnership for the Thomians is 238 for the third wicket between Ashan Peiris (161) Nizam Mazahir (162) in 2007.

R. Thomesz (S.Thomas’) 8 for 3 in 1884 best bowler

The best bowling effort in the series is from R. Thomesz (S.Thomas’) 8 for 3 in 1884. Best all-round performance for the Thomians is 107 and 7 for 24 by M.O. Gooneratne in 1935. P. Ian Pieris (S.Thomas’) also scored 123 and took 4 for 24 in 1953 the second best for a Thomian.

For Royal, the best bowling analysis has come from D.B. Gunasekera (Snr) 8 for 17 in 1901. In 1923 for Royal, Henry Meedeniya also had the identical bowling figures of 8 for 17 .

Nigel Fernando (Royal) became the youngest to captain a ‘Battle Of The Blues’ encounter at 16 years 11 months 29 days in the 1989 encounter.

Many parliamentarians

The Royal-Thomian has plenty of players who later turned out to be Heads of State who played in the Battle Of The Blues encounter.

D.S. Senanayake (S.Thomas’) 1901-1902, Dudley Senanayake (S.Thomas’) 1927-1929, J.R. Jayewardene (Royal) 1925.

Sir John Kotelawela (Royal) 1914-1915 Eran Wickremaratne (Deputy Minister Of Highways, Higher Education And Investment Promotions opened the batting for Royal with Kevin Balthazar (1976) and Pradeep Kariyawasam in 1977.

The teams

Royal College (from) Harith Samarasinghe (Captain), Hasitha Samarasinghe, Naveen Vidanapathirana, Geeshat Panditharatne,(Vice-Captain), Randev Pathirana, Chamika Karunaratne, Thiran Dhanapala, Lasith Embuldeniya, Himesh Ramanayake, Helitha Vithanage, Shan Tennekoon, Umesh Sooriyabandara, Ronuka Jayawardene, Chandula Welivita, Malith Kariyawasam.

S. Thomas’ College (from) Helakamal Nanayakkara (Captain), Danush Peiris (V.Captain), Nipuna Gamage, Sachita Jayatileka, Chenuka Wickremasinghe, Tharindu Ratnayake, Yohan Mendis, Ravindu Kodituwakku, Senal de Silva, Navodh Fernando, Sajana de Silva, Dellon Pieris, Ishane Perera, Romesh Nallaperuma, Dulanja Silva.