By Marlon Dale Ferreira

[caption id="attachment_170660" align="alignleft" width="455"] Royal and S. Thomas’ share the D.S. Senanayake Shield. (From left): Roshan Adams, Co-Chairman - Royal, Rev. Marc Billimoria, Warden - S. Thomas’, Harsha Samaranayake, Senior General Manager - Brand and Media, Group Marketing, Dialog Axiata PLC, M.S.V. Gunathilaka, Principal - Royal, and Prasanna Fernando, Co-Chairman - S. Thomas’[/caption]

The 142nd inter-school Battle of the Blues big match cricket encounter played between Royal College, Colombo and S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia ended in a watery draw at the SSC ground in Colombo yesterday (30).

After bowling out the Thomians for 89 runs, Royal declared their first innings at 112/4 on the third and final day and then had their opponents at 32/1 in the second innings, when play was called off due to bad light shortly after the tea break yesterday.

Royal declare at 112/4

A mere 35 overs was possible on the final day and overall only 83 overs were bowled in the entire match.

Royal declared their first innings at 112/4 at tea after having bowled out S. Thomas’ for 89 runs in their first innings, after they resumed from their overnight score of 87/9 yesterday.

Kavindu Pathirathne dismissed Rajindu Tilakaratne who, even though was out for nought, held on defending 15 balls and was associated in a 16-run partnership with his senior partner Yasiru Rodrigo who remained unbeaten on 30.

Dissanayake top-scores

In Royal’s response, opening batter Isiwara Dissanayake top-scored, as he made 47 and posted 40 runs for the first wicket with Senith Jayawardena who scored 18.

Thereafter Dissanayake, along with Skipper Ahan Wickremasinghe (26), put on 57 runs for the second wicket to further boost the total.

The first day’s play was a complete washout and the match began only at 1 p.m. on the second day after ground staff did a tremendous job to dry the outfield that was saturated after rain on the first day and the morning of the second day.

The first ‘behind close doors’

Royal won the toss and decided to field first and it did not take long for them to make inroads into the Thomian batting to leave them struggling at 48/8 in the first session, before tea was taken with 26 overs bowled.

This encounter will go down in history as probably the only match in the series that was contested behind closed doors after both college authorities obtained special approvals from the Ministry of Health for the match to take place, owing to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

S. Thomas’ retains the challenge shield

Despite this event being cancelled twice during the year and also the many stoppages that took place during this encounter due to rain and bad light, both colleges could take heart that the traditions and the unbroken history of the ‘Battle of the Blues’ of 142 years continues to live on.

Whilst the D.S. Senanayake Shield was awarded to both Captains as the match ended in a draw, the shield will continue to be with S. Thomas’, the last big-match winner in the series.

However, Royal College walked away with all the individual awards at the end of this year’s encounter.

Brief Scores:

S. Thomas’ 1st innings 89 all out in 48.5 overs (Yasiru Rodrigo 30 n.o., Mahitha Perera 22, G. Caniston 12; Gishan Balasooriya 4/39, Sonal Amarasekara 3/8, Kavindu Pathirathna 2/17)

Royal (won toss) 1st innings 112/4 declared in 21.5 overs (Isiwara Dissanayake 47, Ahan Wickramasinghe 26, Sineth Jayawardena 18; Yasiru Rodrigo 2/32)

S. Thomas’ 2nd innings 32/1 in 13 overs (Shalin de Mel 20 n.o., Anuk Palihawadena 12 n.o.; Sonal Amarasekara 1/15)

Awards:

Best Batsman: Isiwara Dissanayake (Royal)

Best Bowler: Gishan Balasooriya (Royal)

Best Fielder: Sineth Jayawardena (Royal)

Player of the Match: Sonal Amarasekara (Royal)