Battle of the Blues: Tradition and camaraderie are ties that bind us

By Mahinda Wijesinghe

Most old timers may still recall the classic Broadway musical by Joseph Stein ‘Fiddler on the roof’, which hit the screen in 1964. ‘Tradition’ is the opening number sung by the main character Tevye. The basic theme of the song revolves around how the villagers of Anatevka, though having different social classes, and hence varying values, still maintained traditions to keep their society from disintegrating. As Tevye warbled in his deep tenor voice: “We’ve kept our balance for many, many years because of tradition, otherwise, our lives would be as shaky as the fiddler on the roof.”

The Royal and S. Thomas Colleges have kept fiddlers off the roofs for 140 continuous years, thanks mainly due to tradition, whilst not forgetting the camaraderie that continues to exist between these two august institutions of learning.

As our own wordsmith the late Mervyn Casie Chetty penned on the occasion of centenary Royal-Thomian game:

“This hoary great tradition Inspiring to the young. Is what our schools with vision. Have always loudly sung.” 

 

A bone of friendly contention

Almost two decades later, MCC’s (was he a cricketer in the tradition of Cowdrey with the same initials?) son, Yohesan, who was then the Head of STC Preparatory School in Kollupitiya, invited Michael Tissera and me to address the students on the eve of a big match (Indeed, it was an annual practice by Yohesan to invite former alumni from each school in order to spread goodwill amongst the students and to inculcate into them that they - the students - form an integral part of this traditional event. In short, the R-T was not a blood match. Hopefully, this tradition of Yohesan is being continued). 

So Michael and I were escorted by Yohesan to the school hall with the words: “Shall we start the assembly?” Immediately, Michael with a deadpan face, says to me: “Mahinda, do you all have assemblies at Royal?” I left that ball out. What else could I have done? But that shot rankled. 

Anyway, as the saying goes each dog will have his day. That day dawned within minutes after that injudicious remark by Michael. I was given the first bite of the cherry after Yohesan’s introductory speech. After a few opening remarks, I said that our schools have great traditions and that our mutual friendships run deep – at which point I gave Michael a withering look! – except on the issue of the infamous 9-run match of 1885 where it is alleged the Royal team did not appear on day two of the match and STC claims that as a win while Royal maintains it a draw since the ground was unfit for play.

However, I continued, recently our researchers have at last solved this imbroglio! (And now I made a pregnant pause) “You know, boys, our researchers have found that both scorers were Thomians, and they did not know to count past nine, so they stopped scoring!” Michael won the first game but I ended with a game set and match!

However, our camaraderie remains unscathed.

On a more serious note re the 9-run match: The pro-Royalists insist that the ground was not fit to be played on while pro-Thomians maintain that the Royal team had gone to Kandy and is claiming a win. Even the late Canon R.S. de Saram had done some sleuthing and had deduced a win for STC. However, detectives or supporters cannot decide the winner of a cricket match if one side is not available to continue a game. It is the umpires who have to decide this critical issue. On the records, available umpires have not made any such decree. None of us were around at that time to have had a first-hand view of what had happened some 130-odd years back.

 

The ties that bind 

Back to Michael. For instance, in the year 2007 when I launched my first book on the game, Michael was one of the invited speakers. Despite the fact that his wife was ailing, he made every possible effort to deliver his speech, which he did with humorous jibes at me. I’ve not forgotten that. Now for events that show the depth of how close the two colleges were.

For instance, Michael first made his appearance during the 75th encounter in 1954. And if his birth certificate is to be believed he was a tot of not even 15 years. So first I thought he was a Pakistani cricketer. Anyway, he made a classy inning of a tad under 50. At the end of the game he received a cricket book with the following felicitations: “For a great inning played, for a greater innings to be played yet in life! May you play that as well as you did in your first Big Match” - from a Royalist.And who was he? He was at that time the Royal College coach Gamini Salgado. “Even the ranks of Tuscany could scarce forbear to cheer” was a case in point. Many a Prime Minister (Don Stephen Senanayake, his son Dudley, Sir John Kotelawala) and the first President of Sri Lanka J.R. Jayewardene donned the flannels at the big match. 

Of course, why or how the former President played is another issue. He was sent in to bat at No. 10 in the 1925 game, was bowled by a Ratwatte (of all people!) for a duck and took one catch - and thereby hangs a tale. 

Many moons ago President JRJ was invited as the Chief Guest after an R-T to address former ‘coloursmen’ from both schools. Obviously, it was a very spirituous occasion. Somebody from the Head Table introduced the old ‘Fox’ with many platitudes accompanied by hoots and jeers from the audience. Continuing, the speaker said how JRJ ran 30 yards and took a stunning catch at square leg to dismiss Ratwatte. By now the jeering had reached a crescendo as the President rose to speak. Firstly, he thanked that speaker for the complimentary remarks made, but that there were a few details he wished to correct. 

“It is correct, I did take a catch but not off Ratwatte. About the catch. Yes, I was fielding at square-leg when I think it was Adhihetty who hit a towering shot towards me. I did not have to run a foot (not 30 yards!), the ball was coming down towards me so I closed my eyes, said a silent prayer and when I opened my eyes the ball was in my hands.” He got a standing ovation from the audience. Needless to say, the speaker must have beaten a hasty retreat!

 

Changing tides of the sport

There are records that during a P. Saravanamuttu Trophy game between S. S. C. and the University played at the latter’s ground (Reid Avenue) where currently only softball cricket is the game. F. C. de Saram (former Royalist) bowled underarm during this game. But most of us thought it was Australian Trevor Chappell who did so against the New Zealanders in an ODI and created a storm not so long ago, and now this type of bowling is banned in international/ first-class cricket. But history now tells us that it was a Thomian, S. Saravanamuttu who bowled underarm in the 1917 R-T since they could not shift the Royal opener Edgar de Kretser, who went on make a score of 87 of a total of 172.

History also tells us that the first R-T match was played in 1878 on the Slave Island Green. The players had gone across the Beira Lake in canoes with their gear and lunch baskets. “Both innings were over in a single afternoon and the results had not been recorded,” states the compilers. Hence the Centenary match fell in 1979. Now is R-T the oldest continuous school cricket match? The Eton vs. Harrow game began way back in 1805. But WW1 and WW2 interrupted their continuity. However, it is on record that St. Peter’s College and Prince Alfred College from Adelaide had begun their tussle since 1878. It appears this game is a year older. However, the difference is that these games are restricted to a weekend and continued in the next whereas the R-T has been planned for two successive days from 1879, but from 1979 it has been extended for 3 days. So take your pick.

 

Auld lang syne

In 1986 when the life of legendary Warden of S. Thomas’ College, Canon de Saram, was slowly ebbing away, a delegation from Royal College went and requested from the family whether permission would be granted to carry his casket. The wish was granted readily. Never has Royal College so honoured anybody from another school in this manner.Finally, a vignette to warm the cockles of our hearts: N. Kandiah was captain of Royal in the jubilee match of 1929 – which Royal won by 7 wickets. F.C. de Saram, D.B. Gunasekera, S.S. Jayewickreme, G.S. Hubert, J.R. Wilson and F.R. de Saram were some of his team-mates. An invitation was personally extended for Kandiah to attend the Centenary game. But he politely declined citing health reasons. Then reminiscing he said: “How I got Dudley’s wicket in the first innings when he was really set. He was a wonderful fellow.” He stopped for a while. “In 1967 I was standing at a bus halt near Vogue Jewellers when a huge limousine slowed down and I heard a familiar voice say, “Hey Kandus, what the hell are you doing here? Jump in man.” I was shocked to see Dudley the Prime Minister. Tears came into my eyes, he took me to Temple Trees and we chatted away like boys again for a few hours. Later he drove me to the Fort Railway station where I got into the Jaffna train.” Those were the days.O tempora O mores!