by Harold de Andrado
The Royal-Thomian is the oldest school cricket match in Sri Lanka and the great tradition built up 122 years ago is maintained up to date. It is also the second oldest ‘Big Match’ in the world, older than even the Eton-Harow game. The oldest Big School Match is the St. Peter’s vs Prince Alfred match in Adelaide, Australia which has been played over four days. That is one of the reasons why Australia has been a top cricketing nation in 125 years of Test cricket history. The figures speak for themselves.

Since 1979 this Big Match (Royal-Thomian) made progress by playing it over three days. Even the drawn games stimulated interest as no improvisation forced token declarations were necessary.

There is nothing big about some of the other big matches. They invariably end up in boring drawn games. It is useless harping on the earlier days and the two day 12 noon to 6 p.m. games which brought results. There was much positive cricket then in faster over rates, better building standards attacking batsmanship and bowling. Today, school cricket’s aim is first innings points and chasing a misarable trophy. It is played empty houses devoid of the national teams, Colombo school products are far and far between. The outstation school cricketers and a more dedicated lot, work much harder and get representation far sooner.

Let other big matches emulate the Royal-Thomian example to break the hoodoo of these miserable drawn games. Some have introduced absurd improvisations encouraging more negative cricket. I have seen every Royal-Thomian between 1936 and 1956, and what glorious cricketers those games produced. Many represented Sri Lanka and many have been my close friends. Among the Royalists there were Gamini Salgado, Ivers Gunasekera, Pat McCarthy, Lucian de Zoysa, Sundaram Pathmanathan, Ernie Kelaart, Dr. Minoo Jilla, Christie Gunasekera, Trevor Jansz, Tilak Gunasekera, Dr. Ernie Peiris, Dr. Sunil Wickremesuriya, Mahes Rodrigo, Mahendra Kasipillai, Channa Gunasekera, Hilton C. Perera, Saliya Atapattu, Ubaya de Silva, Fitzroy Crozier, Lorenz and Brian Perera among many others.

What a galaxy of Thomians comes to ones mind. M. O. Gooneratne, Willie Jayatillleke, Donald Kannangara, Bertie Wijesinghe, Eardley Hermon, Rajah Proctor, Vernon Prins, W. M. P. de Silva, Roy Abeysekera, K. L. M. and K. M. T. Perera, Lyn Taylor, Renga Selvaratnam, Sam Elapata (jnr), Zorro Weerakoon, Shelton Ranarajah, Ronnie and Bradman Weerakoon, Chandra Schaffter, Dr. R. A. H. Gooneratne, Vernon and Michael Tissera, Ian Pieris, Conrad Barrow, Geoff Wijesinghe, the Reid brothers, Dr. Thiru Kandiah and Dan Piachaud.

Since 1956 there have been many more stalwarts too numerous to mention, from both schools. The NCC was the Thomians lucky ground where they won in 1935, 1937, 1939 and almost won in 1941 whereas the old SSC grounds is where Royal always did well winning in 1938 1942 and 1946. Two of the finest matches I witnessed were in 1942 and 1943.

The 1942 match will always be remembered as Gamini Salgado’s match where after being underdogs to the powerful Thomian Royal pulled off a clear cut victory fortified by his own solid century.

In 1943 the Thomians led by Vernon Pins won by 10 wickets, the heroes being K. L. M. Perera and Sam Elapata.