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Battle of the Blues (Colombo)

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For other uses, see Battle of the Blues.

The Battle of the Blues (Also known as Royal–Thomian Cricket Encounter) is an annual Big Match in Sri Lanka played between Royal College, Colombo and S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia since 1879. It is known as The Battle of the Blues due to the colours of the two school's flags i.e. blue, gold and blue of Royal College and blue, black and blue of S. Thomas' College.

Battle of the Blues
CountriesSri Lanka
FormatTest and One-Day
First edition1879
Latest edition2024
Next edition2025
Number of teamsRoyal College, Colombo
S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia
Current championRoyal College, Colombo
Most successfulRoyal College, Colombo (36 titles) S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia (36 titles)
144th Battle of the Blues

History

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The original match was played between the Colombo Academy and S. Thomas' College, Mutwal in 1879, with schoolmasters and schoolboys participating. Mr. Ashley Walker captained the Colombo Academy while Rev. S. J. Meyrick, a member of the staff played for S. Thomas' College, Mutwal. This encounter is not considered the first match as Masters played for both sides.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

In 1880, only the students took part and this first official encounter between the Colombo Academy and S. Thomas' College, Mutwal in Modara was played at Galle Face Grounds, which is today the site of the Taj Samudra Hotel. The match commenced at 4.00 p.m. each day. The Beira Lake stretched up to the present railway line close to San Sebastian Hill and the two teams rowed across in boats to the Galle Face Grounds. The Academy made 110 in the first inning; and St. Thomas' 59. In the second innings the Academy made 35 and St. Thomas' 24.[7] J. W. de Silva was the Academy captain and F. W. McDonnell the Thomian captain.[8] In this first encounter Colombo Academy won by 62 runs.[9][10][11][12][13]

At present, the match is played between Royal College, Colombo which is a public non-denominational school accommodating approximately 8,500 students and S. Thomas' College, Mt Lavinia which is a private Anglican school that has about 2500 boys on roll and a branch network of three constituent colleges with a total of over 5,500 students. It was the first schoolboy cricket match in Sri Lanka to be played over three days.

The Royal-Thomian is the second-longest uninterrupted Cricket series in the entire world, preceded only by the Cricket Intercol played between Prince Alfred College, Adelaide and St. Peter's College, Adelaide, whose first match was played in 1878.[14]

Shield

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This match is played for the prestigious D. S. Senanayake Memorial Shield. Incidentally, Rt. Hon. D. S. Senanayake, who became the first Prime Minister of Independent Ceylon, donned the Thomian cap in 1901 and 1902. This shield was first presented in 1928. If a match is drawn then the school already holding the shield retains it. Royal College is the current holder of the shield after winning the 144th Battle of the Blues in 2023.

Atmosphere

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The "Battle of the Blues" is filled with pageantry, with decorated tents, flags and baila singing and dancing groups present all around the city and the ground itself during the match days and in the days leading up to it. The match is held on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday. By tradition, the schools are closed on match days to allow students to attend the Big Match. Souvenirs published by both the schools are sold on all three days, the duty of distribution entrusted to the souvenir committees. On the day before the match, the students of each school take a walk around the city in a "cycle parade" with bands and decorations and other colourful items showing support for their team. Overloaded cars with supporters singing and careering along the Colombo streets is a familiar sight during match days.

The match is looked forward to by both the young and old, male and female, and even those who have no connection with either school turn up and enjoy the celebrations. It is more of an occasion for the old boys and present students of both schools coming together for three days of revelry. It is quite normal to see elderly alumni from either school coming to the "Big Match" to relive old times and meet old friends. Some expatriates choose this time of year to return to Sri Lanka in order to relive their old school days.

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    A Royal flag at the 128th Royal-Thomian
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    A Thomian flag at the 129th Royal-Thomian

Venues

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Notable people who have played in the Royal Thomian Cricket Match

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Source:[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ We will learn of books and men and learn to play the game
  2. ^ Unique stamp for a unique event
  3. ^ "Battle of the Blues". Archived from the original on 2014-04-27. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  4. ^ "S. Thomas' College" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-04-26. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  5. ^ Oldest Thomian Cricketer late Punchi Banda (Artie) Lankatilleke - JP
  6. ^ "A Tribute to C.E.L. ("Kalla") De Silva on his 100th Birth Anniversary". Archived from the original on 2014-04-26. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  7. ^ "The Royal-Thomian spectacle: Potted history of the series | Daily FT". www.ft.lk. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  8. ^ Colombo, Royal College (25 December 2012). "Cricket | Royal College". Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  9. ^ Ranjan Madugalle, A fine Cricketing Ambassador
  10. ^ So, Royal really lost 1885 match to S. Thomas'
  11. ^ The College History
  12. ^ OBA History
  13. ^ The Royal – Thmian - 130 Years on
  14. ^ Thornton, Katharine (2010). The messages of its walls and fields : a history of St Peter's College, 1847 to 2009. Wakefield Press. p. 63. ISBN 9781862549227.
  15. ^ The Royal Thomian Derby Archived June 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
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