The Annual General Meeting

Where it All Begins…..

The Annual General Assembly is one of the major events at Royal College. It is probably the largest gathering of students held at school every year. The Assembly is an extremely important event in our annual calendar, and it serves a deeply important and symbolic function.

In the early days, the General Assembly took place at the College Main Hall. A Chief Guest would usually be present, and the newly appointed Prefects’ Council, around 20 in number at the time, would sit with the higher administration and Chief Guest onstage. The front rows were usually reserved for the teachers, and the students sat behind them.

While this arrangement cannot be continued due to obvious logistical reasons, the General Assembly today inherits some characteristics from its earlier manifestation, such as the principal’s annual speech, the appointment of the Prefects’ Top Board for the year, and the appointment of new sports captains and vice captains.

This year, the Annual General Assembly has gained new significance for students. Due to the pandemic restrictions in the country, the modern tradition of conducting it at the Main Ground was paused for two years. The assembly took place in the main hall as it had been decades prior, but with a limited number of participants. This year, royalists had their chance to take part in this very significant event at the usual venue.

Students gather at the Main Grounds in front of the J. R. Jayewardene Pavilion, many bearing waving flags. The principal officiates at the event, addressing the students and announcing future plans for the college.

There are six important traditions that are conducted during every General Assembly, no matter what. They are, in chronological order:

▪ The appointment of sports Captains and Vice Captains by Senior Games Master.

▪ The appointment of Senior Prefects by the Master-In-Charge of Prefects and Stewards.

▪ The speech of the Principal.

▪ The speech of the newly appointed Head Prefect.

▪ The presentation of that year’s Big Match souvenir, which is traditionally the first such publication dedicated to the Big Match that year, to the Principal.

▪ The announcement of the First XI Cricket Team by Master-In-Charge.

Although events and traditions such as unofficial parades take place earlier, the Annual General Assembly is what officially inaugurates the season of March Madness. It informs the entire college about the people in charge of the major events and tournaments in the year ahead and encourages them to sacrifice everything and give their best to uplift the school and it’s ideals.

The Royal College Cycle Parade

Painting Colombo in Blue and Gold

The Cycle Parade is one of the most colorful events to unveil during March Madness. While not as old as the Big Match, its evolution throughout the years has made it quite a memorable event for all Royalists. The truth is that Big Match season would be nothing without the Cycle Parade.

The parade takes place on the day prior to the big match and just after the general assembly. On the day of the parade, Colombo’s streets are painted blue and gold.

Although there are no confirmed accounts of its origins, Mr. Viji Weerasinghe, an icon of Royal College, has confirmed that the Cycle Parade was well-established when he attended school as far back as 1939. It was born as a solidarity movement of the student community at Royal College as a means of improving the morale of the 1st XI cricket team prior to the Royal-Thomian Cricket Encounter.

Originally, it had taken place on the first day of the match, after the assembly. Back then, the whole school headed to the oval in trucks, old crocks, jeeps, and peddle bicycles. As time passed, the parade shifted to the day prior to the match, passing the players’ houses. After 1969, the parade commenced at the college and culminated at the team captain’s home. At present, it starts and ends on the college premises.

The rugby team once took on the responsibility of leading the parade. In 1978, senior students riding ponies led it. However, today, the College 1st XI Cricket Team rides on an open-top double-decker bus, with students thronging the streets and the vehicles behind them, cheers erupting every minute.

Due to the prevailing situation in the country, this “‘must be kept at all costs” event had to pause for two years. This year, with the initiative of the Prefects’ Council, the tradition resumed as before, with students, teachers, and the administrative staff taking part.

The main sight during the parade is that of students riding bicycles in front of the team bus. It is these bicycles that gave birth to the name Cycle Parade. Regardless of their age, Royalists spend their time decorating these bicycles with blue and gold to join this event.

Cycling across Colombo’s streets with cheers all around is an experience Royalists can never forget. Older students ride on decorated trucks, some enlivening the experience with papare bands on board. Moreover, several sports, clubs, and societies, as well as student leaders, hire individual trucks and sometimes container trucks to add some spice to the parade. Most students add to the joy and exhilaration of the event by dancing, singing, and cheering. Some clubs and societies, and even teachers, distribute refreshments on the way.

This year, the Senanayake Challenge Shield has come home after four years. The hard work and initiative of the boys from Reid Avenue towards this year’s parade have gained a new meaning and a fresh resonance in light of this victory.

144th Battle of the Blues

As one of the most anticipated events in Sri Lanka, the Battle of the Blues is a cricketing spectacle that has been played annually since 1879. This year marks the 144th Battle of the Blues, which was held between Royal College, Colombo, and S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, on the 16th, 17th, and 18th of March.

Due to the unprecedented circumstances in the last two years owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the matches were played behind closed doors for safety concerns. This year it was decided to play the 144th edition of Sri Lanka’s blue-ribbon big match, the “Battle of the Blues encounter”, in full swing to ensure that the Royal-Thomian fraternity is able to enjoy the event as done over the years. The Royal-Thomian, reputed and renowned to attract a larger crowd, has never been a complete contest without thousands thronging, making the game an exciting one every moment during the whole of three days.

‘The Royal-Thomian’ has a rich and colorful history spanning across 143 years and is also the second longest uninterrupted cricket series played in the world, second only to the annual encounter played between St. Peter’s College, Adelaide, and Prince Alfred College, Adelaide, Australia, that began just a year earlier. The Australia vs England Ashes Series commenced two years later, in 1882.The Battle of the Blues is more than just a cricket match, it is a manifestation of a century-old tradition steeped in heritage and rivalry. The Big Match exudes an electric atmosphere as passionate alumni, fervent supporters, and cricket aficionados converge to witness the clash of two prestigious institutions. Beyond the boundaries of the cricket pitch, the Big Match fosters a sense of unity, celebrating the shared experiences and values cherished by the alumni community. It serves as a remarkable showcase for emerging talent, a stage where the dreams of young cricketers take flight, and the legends of tomorrow are born.

In this year’s encounter, Royal College played under the captaincy of all-rounder Dasis Manchanayake, while S. Thomas’ was led by stumper Romesh Mendis. After being asked to bat first in a venue that favors chasing sides so much, that no team has won a match batting first since 2007, Royal were in a spot of bother when the team was reduced to 19 for 3 in the first hour of play. Then entered skipper Dasis Manchanayake,who walked out to bat when the pressure was on. He walked into the grounds as if he were going to play the innings of his life, and he did just that. He started playing his shots from the get-go. He rotated the strike with intent, shuffled across seamlessly, and exploited the gaps to keep the scoreboard ticking. A 44-run partnership between Dasis Manchanayake and Ovina Ambanpola ensued as Royal staged a recovery of sorts before Ambanpola was bowled by Fernando for 30. Then came the match-winning, record-breaking partnership between skipper Dasis Manchanayake and Ramiru Perera, which was registered as the highest for the 5th wicket by either team. The 229-run (296 balls) partnership had broken the previous Royal record of 165* by Vijaya Malalasekara and C.M. Fernando in 1963 and the Thomian record of 187 by P.I. Peiris and Geoff Wijesinghe in 1953. Dasis Manchanayake led his team by example after raising his century off 120 balls with a boundary off Dineth Goonewardene. He became the first Royal captain to score a century at the Big Match since Anushka Polonowita in 1996. Ramiru Perera, too, reached his century with a boundary off 168 balls. At the end of the day, when the match was stopped due to bad lighting. Royal was 326 for 8 in 74 overs, Dasis Machanayake 137, and Ramiru Perera 128. The pick of the bowlers for the Thomians was Akash Fernando, who bowled his heart out, picking up 4 for 55.

Royal declared overnight with the score at 326 for 8, hoping to gain maximum advantage of the bowler-friendly morning conditions. They achieved that by bowling relentlessly and being aggressive from the word go. They reaped rewards by reducing Thomians to 94 for 4 by lunch. After lunch, Royal managed to bundle out the Thomians for 153 runs in just 55 overs. Senadhi Bulankulama’s 40 (104) and Mahith Perera’s 30 (41) were the top scores for the Thomians, while Bulan Weerathunga was the pick of the bowlers, ending his spell 3 for 26.

The crowd expected the Royal to enforce follow-on and make S. Thomas’ bat again, but the Royal captain had other ideas. They opted to bat again; the decision to avoid a follow-on was a brave one. It could have backfired sometimes, but it turned out to be a masterstroke of a decision. Striking at more than six runs per over, Royal piled up 168 for the loss of four wickets in one session.

Yet again, when Royal found themselves in a spot of trouble after losing two quick wickets, Dasis came to the rescue, this time scoring a free-flowing 57. He etched his name in history by becoming the first ever Royal captain to score a century and a half in a big match. His counterpart, Ramiru, the first-inning centurion, was equal to the task as he hammered an unbeaten 46 from 34 balls, inclusive of two sixes.

Royal declared overnight, giving them ninety overs to bring back the shield to Reid Avenue. But the Thomians were not to be taken lightly. They had the talent at their disposal to last a day, but as it turned out, they lacked temperament. The Royalists came fresh and guns blazing in the morning. The Thomians shuffled their batting order but continued to struggle for runs throughout the innings. They never looked like getting on top of this royal attack, which had plenty of variation, accuracy, and consistency.

Introducing the spinners triggered a collapse in the Thomian batting line-up, which slumped to 6 for 76 before the lunch break, and the result was imminent.

After lunch, the Thomians showed great character and resilience in the second session. Wicket-keeper batter Senesh Hettiarachchi and off-spinning all-rounder Charuka Peiris put up a valiant 7th wicket stand worth 66 runs off 153 balls to delay the inevitable. But Ramiru provided the breakthrough by bamboozling Charuka with a loopy delivery, and Akash Fernando fell in the very next ball as S. Thomas’ were 8 down for 142, dousing any thought of a Thomian comeback.

By 3 o’clock, the match was inching towards inevitability. The crowd was having the time of their lives, and the papar`e was getting louder with each passing over. Every minute was enjoyed like tomorrow didn’t exist. Every moment was cherished. These three days in our lives every year are surreal and purely magical. While the stadium continued partying, Royal required one more wicket to unleash the madness into mayhem. The students and prefects slowly surrounded the boundary line to invade the pitch, anticipating the final wicket any minute.

Sineth Jayawardena bowled a short delivery to Abheeth Paranawithana. The ball was begging to be hit for four. Paranawithana rocked back and whacked it.

Dasis Manchanayaka jumped to his right to catch the ball above his head. He threw the ball in the air, let out a mighty roar, and sank to his knees. The depth of this magical moment was sinking into him. He is now a big-match-winning captain. A fitting end for a captain who led from the front who went to bat when his team needed him the most and delivered with a once-in-a-lifetime knock. In a match in which Dasis stole all the thunder, debutant Ramiru’s contribution was nothing short of brilliant. He scored a century in the first inning and almost a half-century in the second. He chipped in with wickets in both innings as well. One for the future.

Royal’s season may not have been perfect, but they put it behind them. On paper, Thomians were the team that had the edge, but despite all the chaos surrounding themselves, Royalists played like a team destined for winning; they stuck together and delivered on the biggest stage.

After this emphatic win, it was only fitting that the award ceremony was presided over by the Alumni President of Royal College, Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, and Royal regained the shield that they lost to S. Thomas’ in 2019 in the place where it truly belongs. The 144th Battle of the Blues will always be remembered for the thrilling display of cricket and the passion and dedication shown by both teams. The match was a fitting testament to the rich cricketing culture in Sri Lanka and the spirit of sportsmanship that it embodies. As we look forward to the next Battle of the Blues, we can be assured that the brotherly rivalry between these two schools will continue to fuel this historic event.

46th Mustangs Trophy

The Mustangs Trophy is a highly significant annual limited-overs cricket match played between Royal College Colombo and S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, two traditional rivals in Sri Lanka. The match has been played annually since 1975 and is named after the Mustangs, the first cricket team of S. Thomas’ College. While it may not garner the same anticipation and excitement as the three-day Battle of the Blues encounter, the Mustangs Trophy has slowly gained its own significance since it is a different brand of cricket.

Royal College’s big match-winning team completed a double feat after a convincing victory over the Thomians in the 46th Mustangs Trophy limited overs cricket encounter played at SSC Grounds.

The Royal team, led by captain Dasis Manchanayake, who outplayed the Thomians in an emphatic victory of 180 runs to win the D. S. Senanayake Memorial Shield in the Battle of the Blues, carried on with their winning ways with yet another splendid all-round performance.

Royal’s success had a great deal of significance because the last time they won the Big Match and the Mustangs Trophy was under the captaincy of Devind Pathmanathan back in 2013.

The boys from Reid Avenue also made it three wins in a-row having won the trophy in 2019 and 2022, while the match was not played in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Opting to bat after winning the toss, Thomian’s batting never got going and was reduced to 26 for 3 in no time. Then Mahith Perera and Senadhi Bulankulame put on 41 runs for the 4th wicket, while Akash Fernando and Bulankulame added 38 for the 5th wicket. Bulankulame played a fighting knock of 66 runs off 133 balls with six boundaries, preventing a sudden collapse by anchoring the middle order before he was brilliantly caught by Sanvidu Senaratharachchi diving to his right. The Thomians were bundled out for 165 in the 49th over, courtesy of a brilliant bowling display by the Royalists. Bulan Weerathunga, Sandesh Ramanayake, and Dasis Manchanayake shared six wickets between them, each bagging two wickets, while Anush Polonowita, Ranuka Malaviarachchi, and Ramiru Perera each picked up a wicket.

Chasing 166, the Royals’ innings stumbled in the beginning after losing Ovina Ambanpola and Anush Polonowita in consecutive deliveries. Then Rehan Peiris and Uvindu Weerasekara put on a third-wicket stand of 107 runs, with the former being the aggressor. Uvindu Weerasekara fell after reaching his half century, consisting of two massive sixes and four fours. Then skipper Dasis Manchanayake (26 off 28), quite fittingly, struck the winning runs in the 37th over. Retaining the Mustangs trophy in Reid Avenue with an emphatic victory of 7 wickets with 13 overs to spare.

It was a memorable game for the 14-year-old Rehan Peiris, who was selected as the Best Fresher and Player of the Match for his elegant unbeaten 69, which included one six and seven boundaries.