2001 - Captain’s match report
Royal-Thomian (Sydney Australia) - 2001
Those who were in NSW last weekend, will wonder that a game of cricket actually commenced on that Sunday (18th November) and concluded at the completion of 75 overs bowled on the day. The match was almost called off due to overcast conditions and intermittent rain. However 20 eager cricketers (allowing for a couple of Royal Stragglers) were waiting for the meekest ray of sunshine to throw up the silver.
At 10.30 the coin went up and we lost the toss and were sent in to bat by Lalin De Silva, the Royal Skipper. We got off to a flying start in the second over when Antony Abeynayake took to the bowling of Deshan Gunewardene with a massive six and a four, our jubilation did not last as the second over from pacey Nishitha Kotelawala saw us lose 2 quick wickets Anthony, caught (12) and Umesh Paramasivam, LBW (0) a rum decision for the plucky right-hander, struck high on the front foot. At over no 3 we had two new bats at the crease Rahulan Jegaeheeswaran and Richie De Silva (our centurion from previous year) at the crease.
Rahulan took to the bowling of Deshan scoring two fours but Nishitha came back again by having Richie caught out without scoring. This spelled disaster, 3 for 30 at the 5th over. Rahulan was Joined by hard hitting Ravi Abeynayake and Thomians could breathe easy again as they took to the bowling for the next 8 overs taking the score to 78 before Ravi was bowled by Chitral Perera for (25). Rahulan was joined by Kushan (Marlon Black) Rodrigo who kept up his end of the bargain till Rahulan (who upto then had played an impeccable innings) stepped out to Channa Gunasekera, a mere whisker away from the crease, missed the ball and was stumped by Wicket Keeper Neil. Herein lay a very poignant part of the game, the leg umpire was none other than our own Umesh - who surveyed the situation and no doubt a thousand thoughts flashed across his mind, however it was fair play that prevailed as he raised his finger - that I felt is what makes us Thomians - that, is what makes the difference. As much as I hate to reflect on the negative, given the same set of circumstances - more or less - the Royal skipper at Leg umpire position adjudged one of his players not out when a brilliant throw from Kushan caught him well short of the crease, by at least a foot. To continue Kushan was joined by a swashbuckling Nalin De Silva. With 2overs to drinks Kushan holed out to Channa (17) to let in Lasantha Peris (yours truly) to the crease hoping to consolidate. At drinks we were 6 for 110. Good Run Rate, but an up hill task, to last the 40 overs. After drinks we toiled for 12 overs, me turning the strike over to a hungry Nalin who dispatched every loose ball to the boundary bringing the score to 164 when I holed out (16), off the bowling of Sandesh Algama, a seasoned campaigner. Jeeva Paski was unleashed amongst the Royalists with 8 overs left to go.Nalin also holed out to Algama in the 36th over (48) 2 short of his half century. Kula Jayasinghe followed up - marching out to dispatch the ball tothe boundary like Bradman but missing it quite unlike Bradman and I still do not know whether he was bowled or stumped for (1) The book shows him as being stumped but the keeper never had the ball and the stumps were pushed forward. However Jeeva made a quick fire 31 before holing out to Algama with Suren (Duke) Ramachandran at 1 not out. We finished up with 204 on the board with 3 overs left to go and feeling that perhaps another 15 to 20 runs would have been handy.
Bowling: Nishitha Kotelawala 5 overs 3 for 22
Chitral Perera 8 overs 1 for 24
Canna Gunasekara 6 overs 2 for 38
Sandesh Algama 8 overs 4 for 32
After a Lunch of Hoppers and Kottu and "Papara Music" the Royalists came out to face the music of a different beat mixed with the rattle of timber. Lalin De Silva and Prasanna Kariyawasam took to the field to face the wrath of Rahulan and Ravi. Rahulan was cutting the ball in a foot in off, off stump at great pace and the third ball of the second over proved too much for Ex Royal skipper Prasanna (3) when his middle stump was laid to rest. In the very next over Ravi made short work of Lalin for (7) having him caught out on a short delivery. Channa Silva and Deshan Gunawardene battled the next 2 overs without adding a run when Rahulan struck again to have Channa edge a sharp catch to Richie who snavelled it up at second slip, after 7 overs Royal were reeling at 3 for 21. Out marched Sandesh Algama to join Deshan and held the Thomian tide back to drinks with the score at 3 for 95. Rahulan Bowled magnificently (6 overs 2 for 26) and Ravi complied with (6 overs 1 for 14) Richie, Umesh and Nalin also had a crack at it but could not remove the two stalwarts.
We came back from drinks and handed the job to Kushan "Marlon Black" it took him 4 balls to find Deshans off stump with a scorching yorker, Deshan departed with a well-deserved and gutsy 51. Channa Gunasekara joined Sandesh and grafted for 4 overs only to witness Kushan doing it again, this time it was Algama's leg stump, yorked again! (39). We were on the come back trail. Feelings were definitely starting to get light on the field till we saw who was in next, Chitral Perera - it wasn't over by along shot. Duke
was now brought into the attack and relishes the fact that he has foxed Chitral the year before - but can he do it again? 2 overs later he proves it. Chitral miss times and holes out (3). In the next over Kushan struck again to dismiss Channa G. (11). The score was 7 for 132 at over 29 when we started to feel yes! we had it in the bag , but the Royalist were not finished yet Gavin Mallawarachchi scored 12 before being given LBW to Duke ( we were starting to doubt the umpiring upto this point). Neil Jay made 8 before being bowled by Richie De Silva, Nishitha was run out for 7 and Dulip was not out 6 when the Royal innings came to an end at the 38th over having made 159 runs.
Bowling: Rahulan Jegaeheeswaran 6 overs 2 for 26 Ravi Abeynayaka 6 overs 1 for 14
Richie De Silva 8 overs 1 for 38 Kushan Rodrigo 5 overs 3 for 23 Duke Ramachandran 7 overs 2 for 21
It was great to see a crowd of family and friends put up with wet and windy conditions to witness the event and enjoy the music supplied by Sonny Navaratnam. The E.C. Gunasekera Memorial Cup adorns my mantle piece once again.
It was a greater honour to play with the Thomian team that took the field that day, they proved that Cricket still lives, the sportsmanship and team spirit displayed on the day should engender pride in all Thomians near and far.
Esto Perpetua
Lasantha Peris (Stone House 1967-1974)
