2018 Mar 1
By Nandula Asel Karunasingha
“The zest of youth is still the same,
The will to win; but be it told,
Above the victory counts the game
When Blue and Black meets Blue and Gold;
Now is it, as of old.”
-Major Harry Leslie Reed-
‘Cricket’ is very evidently an indivisible part of our nation’s bloodstream. While the honour of inventing ‘the gentleman’s game’ falls on another, we Sri Lankans have, without a doubt, added our very own flavours and colours. Throughout history, school cricket encounters around the world such as the famed ‘Eton-Harrow’ have played a pivotal role in the development of the sport and some of its most noteworthy stars.
‘The Great Inter-Collegiate Match’, first played in the year 1879 between the Colombo Academy and S. Thomas’ College Mutwal and at present referred to as the ‘Battle of the Blues’, is the second longest-running cricket encounter in the world, played even amid the threat posed by two World Wars and a Civil War that spanned three decades. The encounter has seen many prominent individuals in their vigorous youth don colours of either institution which includes four former Heads of State (The Senenayake father-son duo for S. Thomas’ and Prime Minister Kotelawala and President Jayawardena for Royal). Though the event has evolved in a timely fashion the spirit at its core and values embodied have, for the most part, remained unchanged.
The encounter is played for the coveted ‘Senenayake Challenge Shield’ which currently lies at Reid Avenue after being claimed by Royal in the year 2016 under skipper Geeshath Panditharatne. The tally stands at 35 to Royal, 34 to S. Thomas’, 69 drawn and interestingly one match of which the result is unclear (the ‘nine-run match’ of 1885).
Setting the stage for the mother of all ‘big matches’ begin months before where, while the joint committee of ‘old boys’ is hard at work sorting out the logistics for the three-day event, the present boys set the tone at their respective institutions. Of all such pre-match preparations and events, the schools’ Cycle Parades takes centre stage in the public eye. Traditionally held on the day preceding the match, the Cycle Parade is reminiscent of the days of yore when the schoolboys used to cycle together to the venue.
The three-day spectacle is a remarkable sight and while the game is indeed the highlight it is far from being the only thing that defines it. Entering the arena that is the Sinhalese Sports Club one sees the array of vibrant tents that surrounds the pitch each with its own arrangement of décor, food, beverage and music. A huge number of these are either of alumni groups of the two colleges or public pavilions. Of these tents, there are few that are worthy of special note.
The ‘Mustangs Tent Club’, is an exclusive, invite-only enclosure which features some of the more senior and eminent figures of the Roy-Tho community. Those who frequent at the Mustangs include the Current Prime Minister and many other statesmen who leave politics beyond the Bar of the House to share a drink, a song and a good time. Back in
the day, it was a custom to even invite the Governor on the second day of the match to spectate among its members. The Tent Club this year will celebrate its centenary. Its most notable contribution to the series is the initiation of the Limited-Overs encounter in the year 1979 played for the aptly named ‘Mustangs Trophy’.
Two of the grandest, loudest and indeed the envy of all would be the Royal and Thomian Boys’ Tents placed right opposite the team dressing rooms. Here youngsters from the age of 6 to 19 often numbering in the thousands echo a barrage of cheer for their respective teams led by the College Stewards and, at its vanguard, the Senior Prefects in their iconic straw hats, banners at hand. The players often mention it themselves that their respective Boys’ Tents serve as their main source of moral support and encouragement; the voices of those who they have come to represent in the field, those who stand by them till triumph or defeat. From the unfurling of mammoth flags paraded around and held high above the heads of the players that enter the grounds to the occasional runs in to the pitch, often to the dismay of the on-duty security detail, to celebrate a half-ton, a century or a wicket scored by their fellow student these two groups offer many sights that are nothing but ecstatic.
The atmosphere in all these enclosures resembles a full-blown fiesta with loud voices mixing in perfectly with the papare music that no Sri Lankan cricket match would be complete without. It is probably one of the few places where one can witness opposing sides throw the most impertinent of insults at each other whether it be through song or the spoken word (and occasionally a few letters disappearing from the scoreboard), yet at the end of the day walk out as the strongest of friends and allies (save for a few ‘bad apples’). The Royal-Thomian relationship is indeed one like no other which, to the untrained eye, might even seem highly peculiar.
To many a Royalist and Thomian, especially those who have flown afar in search of pastures new, the ‘Big Match’ serves as a not-to-be-missed opportunity to reunite with faces they have known and grown up with in their youth and to rekindle the inner child that lies within. The passing years see friends within and across both institutions grow from youngsters at the Boys’ Tent into family men from all walks of life who now, in turn, see their own children embark on that very same journey in the schools they loved and cherished.
Speaking of families, the Royal-Thomian has had several represented across generations on the pitch. From the de Sarams, the Liverszs and the Heyns of Royal to the Goonesekeras, the Bulankulames and the Saravanamuththus of St. Thomas’ many have followed in the footsteps of their forebears to bring glory to their respective alma maters, interestingly in several rare occasions even representing the opposing sides.
When one thinks of such statistics there is a group of people that cannot be forgotten: the young men in uniform, carefully striking at their prey with a cry of “Sir!” or “Ma’am!”. With the amount of running about they do in the blazing sun with a heap of weighty tomes, one may argue that these gentlemen receive a more intensive workout than the teams themselves on the day. The two ‘Souvenir Committees’ have served a very important purpose throughout the years taking the effort to edit, publish, distribute and sell the official souvenirs of either institution, each containing a treasure trove of facts, figures and tales rooted in the encounter’s rich history. The effort and hard work put in by these young ‘minstrels’ is certainly worthy of recognition.
Throughout the years the Battle of the Blues has gained ever-increasing recognition and coverage (even featuring stories by international media outlets such as National
Geographic and the Wall Street Journal). The game too has evolved each year to be on par with international cricketing standards. The ‘big match’ is what it is today thanks to the tireless efforts of many great individuals who have kept the ball constantly rolling for over a century and will continue to do so with no boundary in sight.
While I have done my level best, no amount of words could possibly do justice in giving the reader a taste of what it is like to be in the midst of this one of a kind spectacle, in the midst of history and legend, in the midst of the ultimate testament to camaraderie. The only way one can truly be a part of this exciting experience is to be there in person. So be sure to make your way to the Sinhalese Sports Club Grounds on the 8th, 9th and 10th of March for the 139th edition of the ‘Battle of the Blues’.
