2018 Feb 22
by Kumuditha Udugama
FOMO as it is widely known in the age of social media and mobile applications; the fear of missing out, is the anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere. It is the despair of not being able to be there, and not being able to experience the unfolding of this event first hand. Within the next few days, you will gaze your eyes upon a thousand articles and posts about how much fun it is to be at the Royal Thomian. How exciting, euphoric and nostalgic it feels to be at the SSC grounds, when the boys in whites stride on to the grounds with their blue and gold or blue and black banded baggy caps. How your heart races to the beat of the papare, how your throat bellows for every cheer upon a fall of an opposition wicket, and how you embrace the true meaning of pride when the Prefects gather around the main pavilion and sing the college song.
You won’t hear any of that from me. I am part of a very misfortunate sub-group of people within a very exclusive yet extensive group. Royalists and Thomians grow up and grow in to the culture of the Big Match. We are humbled at a very young age by traditions and rivalry that are associated with this encounter which has spanned across three centuries since 1879. Out of 8 billion people in the world, you truly must feel lucky to be a part of this very exclusive culture. Yet, to have been included in this very fortunate group, and to be missing the three best days of the year, is a tragedy beyond any tale that Shakespeare could ever have come up with. I do not experience the “Fear” of missing out. But not being at the big match, has taught me that there exists a phenomena that I would like to call the “Pain of missing out”.
From 1997, when I was just a toddler in grade 1 through 2011; when I had the luxury and privilege of donning the cane hat as a College Prefect, I witnessed 15 successive big matches. Bar one, in 2008 which was my after O/Levels year, all other 14 of them I watched from the Royal College Boy’s tent. Royal lost the big match 4 times during this period; in 1997,1999,2005 and 2007, and won only once; in 2006. For the vast majority of the time, my experience of the big match was basically watching the Thomians grittily batting out for a draw. At other times, Royal being in a commanding position and completely botching the declaration and not having enough time to bowl the opposition out. In the worst of cases it was having our behinds being handed to us by some talented and crafty Thomian bowler or a gritty yet flamboyant Thomian batsman. Tharindu Fernando, Milan Fernando, Vidyesh Balasubramanium, Ashan Peiris, Kaushal Silva, Nizam Mazhahir and Faheem Saleem are just a few Thomian names that I’ve associated with bitter memories at the Big Match. Come to think of it, having followed the Roy-Tho in this period very closely, I really must say I have more appreciation towards Thomian cricket than that of Royal’s.
Now that is not to say Royal hasn’t given me anything to cheer about, or to overwhelm me in pride and joy. The historic and record-breaking win in 2006 was the oasis for the Royalist supporter, deprived of a win for 14 years, thirsty for a victory. In a way it was ironic that Dimitri Siriwardane; a batsman with all the talent and potential in the world, glorious when in full-flow but a perennial under-performer at the big match, and also the losing captain of the previous year, who got to hit the winning runs. So many highly rated Royal sides had come in to the big match as favorites in the previous years running to 2006, but had failed at the helm. Choked, even. Dhanushka Perera, Ganganath Rathnayake, Tharaka Kottehewa, all captained star-studded line-ups that could have brought the shield back to Reid Avenue, but had failed to do so. Yet, against all odds, a young side led by Nadun Punchihewa pulled the rug under the Thomians; who were a very formidable side that year, to win an extraordinary game of cricket.
Royal came inches close again in 2009, lead by Yasitha Abeykoon; which in my opinion was the best Royal side that was ever fielded by Royal at the big match in the years I witnessed it from 1997 to 2011. A calm and wise captain in Abeykoon, a fifth year coloursman and ex-captain in Haroon Mowjood, four current or future national U19 players in Kusal Perera, Kithruwan Vithanage, Ramith Rambukwella and Bhanuka Rajapakse, and a spin bowler who would become the highest wicket taker for Royal in a 1st XI season in Maneesha Thanthrigoda, this Royal side boasted of all the weapons and all the armour needed to take to battle. Yet, due to an amazing 2nd innings stonewalling lead by Fahim Saleem and Ravinthiraja Nirrushan and avidly supported by a young Sachin Pieris at the end, S. Thomas’ managed to keep Royal from breaching their defenses, and retained the shield. Out of all of my painful experiences at the big match, including the innings defeat before the morning drinks break on day 3 in 2007; 2009 was the most painful. To this day, the memories of 2009 haunt me from time to time. To think that I was only a mere spectator, and how painful it must have been for the players who were involved, is beyond my imagination.
Yet, to witness Royal finding a way to draw a big match they should have won, or to see them losing with sessions to spare is no pain compared to the pain of not being able to be there at all. Not having the opportunity to once experience the big match as an old boy. For once for it to be legal to have a drink at the big match, to cheer along with the passing Prefects of my school, to stumble and fall on the SSC grass while trying to invade the pitch, to once have the joy of watching a big match as a mature and responsible adult with one of my Thomian friends as brothers-in-arms. Not being able to experience such exclusivities; having being lucky enough to be a part of this culture, is a crime beyond my expressions. It is a tragic state of affairs that I have had to resort to a laptop screen to watch a stream of what should be the three best days of my life. It is a punishment I would never wish upon no rival, no foe, or any human being for that matter.
The Royal Thomian bares no resemblance to any other sporting encounter in the world, or any other school event in the world. It is so unique and so rich in culture and tradition and that even if it wasn’t the longest uninterrupted cricket series in the world, it would still be the most glamourous and most glorious. To fill the SSC full-house for three days is impossible for even the most high-profile international event. To gather so many past pupils of one educational institution at one given time to one given place, is beyond the abilities of the most prestigious and prolific of universities and colleges in the world. Royal College and S. Thomas’ College have built a tradition and culture that is beyond the capabilities of most nations, let alone schools. And to miss it, for as long as I have, is torture and suffering that I am yet to learn how to endure.
So, for the lucky few who have now managed to reserve your vacation, pre-book your air tickets, or for those in the country; who will take an early leave from work on Thursday and not show up at all on Friday, consider yourselves extremely fortunate. For it is a luxury not many have deserved to experience. Specially for those like me, who would give an arm and a leg to be at the SSC for three days and not miss a single delivery, and yet are bound by geographical and professional ties. Imagine having to miss your best friend’s wedding, or the birth of your first child, or your own graduation day. Now multiply that by 3 times for the number of days and then by 7 times for the number of years. Now you know what my Pain of Missing Out feels like.
