110th Battle of the Blues of Matara ends in draw

Sanjika Ridma played a splendid knock for St.Servatius’ College scoring an unbeaten 100 runs off 195 deliveries with 13 boundaries to ensure their 110th Battle of the Blues Big Match against arch-rivals St. Thomas’ College ended in a draw at Uyanwatte Stadium, Matara yesterday.

Resuming from their overnight total of 117 for five, St. Servatius’ weren’t out of danger, but Sanjika’s hundred and Gihan Nimsara’s half-century enabled them to take a first innings lead.

St. Servatius’ declared on 288 for nine wickets and St. Thomas’ were 102 for two at stumps with Nisal Nadeepa scoring an unbeaten half-century.

Nadeepa was picked up as the Best Batsman for St. Thomas’ College while Sanjika Ridma was picked up as the Best Batsman for St. Servatius’ College.

Ashan Ranasinghe was awarded as the Best Bowler for St. Thomas’ College while Kasun Rajitha was awarded as the Best Bowler for St. Servatius’ College.

Brief Scores:

St. Thomas’ College 220 all out in 98 overs (Nisal Nadeepa 56, Rajindra Punchihewa 40, Thilina Mahesh 51, Kasun Rajitha 5/33) and 102 for two in 32.3 overs (Nisal Nadeepa 61*)

St. Servatius’ College 288 for 9 wickets in 132.2 overs (Sanjika Ridma 100*, Gihan Nimsara 60, Kasun Attanayake 3/92, Ashan Ranasinghe 3/90).

MATCH PREVIEW-110th Ruhuna 'Battle of the Blues'

The Ruhunu Battle of the Blues between St. Servatius College, Matara and St. Thomas' College, Matara - the 110th encounter will be a three-day encounter between these two century-old colleges on March 19, 20 and 21 at the Uyanwatta Stadium, Matara.

The three-day match will have St. Servatius as hosts while the 50-over encounter will be hosted by St. Thomas' College.

This match, first played in 1900 has been played continuously for the past eleven decades. St. Thomas' have won 32 encounters, the last occasion of them winning was in 2007 under the captaincy of Tharaka Dushantha.

St. Servatius is somewhat behind with 27 victories, the last win being in 1971 under the captaincy of Nimal Munaweera. There has been 50 games that have ended in draws.

Though St. Servatius are somewhat behind in the chase for victories, they had in their ranks some outstanding crickets in their 123-year-old history. The most illustrious cricketer of all has been the "Matara mauler' or the Master-Blaster Sanath Jayasuriya and he captained the St. Servatius team in 1988.

Two other players of repute who have played for St. Servatius have been Ruchira Palliayaguru and Tharanga Lakshitha. Oshan Kalhara captains St. Servatius College this year and the Vice Captain Kasun Madhusanka - the Vice Captain is in fine fettle, having represented Sri Lanka in the Under-19 Youth World Cup team in New Zealand this year.

St. Servatius is coached by P.B. Buddhika since 2008. He captained St. Servatius College in 1996 and scored over 1,000 runs that season.

St. Thomas' is coached by Charith Palliyage since 2008. He played for St. Thomas' from 1997 to 1999.

In the season's matches, St. Servatius has performed will this season and are heading the under-19 division two Group 'D' in the Munchee Youth Under-19 Tournament with four outright wins - against Ibbagamwua Central, St. Xavier's College, Chialw, St. Patrick's, Jaffna and Bandaranayake Vidyalaya, Gampaha. They got first innings wins against Carey College, Colombo, Dharmaloka Vidyalaya, Kelaniya and lost to St. Thomas' College, Matale. So, St. Servatius seems to have a slight edge over rivals St. thomas' in the all important three-day game. In the six friendly matches, St. Servatius did not fare well. They got first innings wins against Sri Devananda and lost outright against Maris Stella, Negombo, Isipatana MV, Rahula College, Matara, Mahinda College, Galle. They also lost in the first innings to Mahanama College.

St. Thomas' fared equally well in Group 'C' of the Munchee Youth Under-19 tournament and in Division II of the tourney, they got outright wins against Sri Devananda College, and Kegalu Vidyalaya. won on first innings against Gurukula MMV and Sri Rahula College, Katugastota, drew with Vidyartha and Rahula College, Matara and lost outright to Piliyandala Central College.

In friendly matches, they recorded first innings wins against S. Thomas', Mount Lavinia 'A', Asoka Vidyalaya, Karandeniya Central and St. Aloysius' College, Galle. St. Thomas' lost on the first innings against St. Sebastian's, Moratuwa, Royal College, Colombo and drew with St. Sylvester's College, Kandy.

Cricket Captains of St.servatius College

YEAR NAME
1947 H.S.Willie
1948 H.S.Willie
1949 M.M.Musthaper / Arthur Samarasingha
1950 C.Rajapaksha
1951 Ransi de Silva
1952 E.J.A. Kumarathilaka
1953 D.D. Rajapaksha
1954 A.S.P. Clasz
1955 Not Played
1956 A.S.M. Anis
1957 D.Rajapaksha
1958 H.H.K. Kurukulasooriya
1959 A.Soamasiri
1960 T.Thilakawntha Kasige
1962 Nihal Lye
1963 Prasad P.Gunawardana
1964 Nevomal kahakachi
1965 Harron Dool
1966 O.S.M. Ifram Suffiyan
1967 H.S Rathna De Silva
1968 Austin de Fenando
1969 Dudley Nilavira
1970 Aloysious Foneseka
1971 Nimal Munweera
1972 Nevil Samaraweera
1973 P. Ishwara
1974 Priyantha Kahakachchi
1975 L.H Sunil
1976 Ranjith Gunawardana
1977 Lional Wagasingha
1978 J.Galappaththi
1979 Sepal Liyanaarachchi
1980 Sukumal Jayawikrama
1981 S.D.Alwis
1982 Gretion Liyanage -
St .Servatius' Criket Captain 1982 Brilliant holder of the Big Match ground Record with a score of 207 runs in 198 minutes made at the 1882 Annual Encounter. He was also the highest Scorer in the 1982 season with a total of 1117 runs.

1983 A.P.Rohitha
1984 Prasanna Galappathi
1985 Yasantha Piyadigama
1986 Ruchira Palliyaguru

The Famous Cricketer in The World. A Former Captain of St' Servatius College (1986). A Member of the Sri Lankan Cricket Team

1987 Sihan Samsodeen
1988 Sanath Jayasooriya

The Famous Cricketer in The World. A Former Captain of St' Servatius College (1988). A Member of the Sri Lankan Cricket Team

1989 Nalaka Sudusingha
1990 Kesara D. Rathnaweera
1991 Gaya Greation
1992 Supul Saluka
1993 T.D.Munadingha
1994 -
1995 P.B.Buddhika
1996 Imal Liyanage
1997 Thushara Kurukulasooriya
1998 S.A.Wasantha
1999 Suminda Mendis
2000 Amila Mendis
2001 Husen Bary
2002 Supun Dilanka
2003 -
2004 Kasun Bodisha

School Anthem-English

School Anthem...
English

ESTO - VIR
Now here’s to the lads of Matara,
Of Matara, the fair.
Where the sun shines strong and the winds blow wild
Where hope lifts high in hearts we’re defiled,
For they breed sound ladies there.
And again to the lads of Matara,
In St. Servatius Halls,
Where they speak the truth and hate lie,
Where they keep true faith through do and die,
And go where duty calls.
Yet again to the lads of Matara.
On lanka’s golden strand,
Through conflicts dire and labours long,
They march upright with a gladsome song
That echoes through the land;
Esto Vir, in Matara,
Esto Vir, in all
To fight the wrong, and protect the weak
To learn, and dare, and endure, and seek
The Right, whate’er befall.
Esto Vir, in Matara;
A Valiant band are We !
We unite our hands, our heart and mind,
In hope and work that all mankind,
May better, nobler be.
Esto Vir, in Matara;
Loudly let it ring !
We stand steadfast and we don’t ginve way,
We fear no fear when we knee! And pray
Lu our service of the King.

B.Leeming

BATTLE OF THE BLUES

BATTLE OF THE BLUES WILL BE HELD
MARCH 19-21 AT UYANWATTE STADIUM MATARA.