The Royalists coached by the short and mercurial Gamini Perera will go in the big match as firm favourites. Gamini who has guided Royals fortunes over the past three years was a former captain of the Royal College cricket team leading the side in 1994. However he is most remembered and escalated to a legendary status due to “that” knock of 144 in the year 1993. A match that was considered lost by the end of the second day with Royal down by five wickets in the second innings was saved single handedly by the diminutive Perera. Legend goes on to say that on the morning of the third day he had told the remainder of the batsman that “all we have to do is play out 600 balls. I’ll take three hundred the five of you have to divide the rest between your’ll” and faced he did. He was out the only way according to many who were fortunate enough to witness that game due to a folly in the running but he managed to save the day for Royal.

The boys from Reid Avenue will inevitably walk in to the SSC as favorites to topple the Thomians. The team led by prolific batsman and national youth Captain Bhanuka Rajapakshe seems to be, on paper a well balanced side capable of toppling their arch rivals.

Bhanuka is known to be a stroke maker and by far the best batsmen to come out of the Royal in a very long time. Rajapakshe was considered a find in the modern game by many commentators, who witnessed his exploits at the recently concluded under 19 World Cup. His statistic speaks for himself and on his day he can rip any bowling attack apart and has the ability to take on any opposition. He won two ‘Man of the Match’ awards at the Youth World Cup and has been pulling strokes considered impossible many a time to the delight of the average and specialist onlooker. The fact with Bhanuka is his inimitable style ready to take on any bowler right from the word go. The beauty with his batting is the natural stroke making. You bounce to him n too many and he will pull you over square leg without batting and eyelid. Too many hits towards the front foot and you will see the ball sail past covers to the boundary in a jiffy.

Bhanuka Rajapakshe is more of a Jayasuriya mould. He has been guilty of throwing away his wicket which is more the norm than the exception. The fact the youngster lacks the temperament to only put away the bad balls and keep rotating the strike during the rest of the time will be a worry for the Royalists. But the maturity that comes with age would indeed prove to be a deterrent to go for the uncalled for shots on his day. Speaking to us on the eve of the captains’ dinner Bhanuka seemed to be adamant on making his mark at the big one, “We have gelled well as a team all the boys are confident of doing college proud. This year we have a team that is well balanced. Maneesha my vice captain has been tremendous with the ball and we have quite a few youngster to support the experience too.” Speaking on his batting Bhanuka said, “ I have not been very lucky when it comes to the big one but now I have matured as batsmen and as a cricketer. I think this might just be that match where I can go on to make school proud”

Bhanuka will be leading the batting and they also have in their ranks specialist all-rounder and national youth cap Kithruwan Withanage who has been more than a revelation to the Royalists. These two will have the onus of guiding the fortunes of the Royal batting line up. Withanage in contrast has to be the anchor of the Royal batting ship. He has the ability to play along the ground and adapt to any situation on demand. His cheeky single picking and the most technically correct cover drives are often a treat to watch for any onlooker. He too seemed confident of Royals chances at the big one. Kithruwan has also cemented his place as more than a useful all-rounder with his ability to spin the ball when the situation demands so.

Kithruwan was appointed the as vice captain of the youth team and this speaks volumes of his analytical ability to read the game. He has represented the Sri Lanka under 17 team and this magnitude of experience will be invaluable to the boys from Reid Avenue cometh March 11. He also has the privilege of being awarded two Man of the Match awards at the recently concluded Under 19 World Cup in New Zealand.

Ramith Rambukwella has been the most consistent performer with the bat in the absence of the Bhanuka and Kithruwan. Ramith has scored over 850 runs with a highest sore of a 110. His right arm off spinners also could come in handy. Ramith is usually used to grip down a pair with his dart ball like deliveries thereby creating pressure on the batsman who eventually ends up going for an uncalled for shot.

Ramith a second year colours-man will open the batting with Chalaka Bogoda. Bogoda’s dogged style and Ramiths aggressiveness can prove to be one of the defining factors in favour of Royal. Chalaka will have to focus on rotating the strike than be dogged at one end which will invariably result in Rambukwella going for the big one.

For the avid reader of the Colombo Spirit the name Maneesha Thanthirigoda would definitely ring a bell. We carried an article before his heroics, highlighting the personality of the young lad who now is considered the most successful bowler in the history of Royal College cricket that spans close to a century and a half. Vice captain Maneesha who is playing in his fourth Royal Thomian has indeed been a revelation. A left arm spinner he has the rare distinction of being the only bowler in the illustrious history of Royal College to have taken over a hundred wickets in a single season. His dedication and accuracy is something that any batsmen would have to fear. According to inside sources however Maneesha seems to be fighting an injury and it will be interesting to see how he recovers in time for the big match. The variation that Maneesha uses in his six deliveries, more often than not gets his opponent to a confused state. The beauty of the off spinner is the fact that he “traps” the batsmen is to making a mistake. The field settings, the flighting of the ball at the correct time, are all a mind game that Maneesha uses to catch the bait. However, Charutha Rajarathne 2nd year coloursman and all-rounder has been dropped for the big one. The reason being Charutha’s uncalled for shots in the last three innings, out of which two were fatal with the Royalists coming down against the Trinitians and the Cambrians.

Fresher Waruna Dissanayake will take his place in the middle order. Waruna was a revelation too for Royal scoring a magnificent 119 during the third term. He however succumbed to an injury on his jaw and was out for most of the season. It will be interesting to see how he copes with the pressure that is normally associated with the big one. He will also replace Charutha as the leg spinner of the side and is tipped to be supported by Kithruwan Withanage.

Imran Khan true to his name has been generating some fierce pace and swing. The fresher is capable of hitting the 130 KMPH yardstick and has the ability to swing the ball both ways. Khan during the season opened the bowling with another fresher Garuav Dev. The tall lanky bowler is also known for the pace and bounce he generates off the track. He has in his repertoire deliveries that are simply unplayable and has the ability to stun any batsman on his day.

However it will be interesting to see if the Royalists persist with this combination. It would be ideal if Imran Khan opens the Bowling with Bhanuka Rajapakshe if the Thomians take first lease of the SSC wicket. Bhanuka has been more than a mere part time bowler and though not as fast as an opening bowler usually is Bhanuka can give the Thomians a tough time with the natural swing he generates.

Young Devind Pathmanathan also has been the success story a fourteen year old would only dream of. The lad picked up young by the coaches has proved more than a handful with his left arm leg spin and has been the main support bowler for the Royalists. It will be interesting to see how he handles the pressure of playing in front of 20000 or more spectators in high spirits.

All in all it looks to be the battle that most of us have been waiting for. A tussle for Supremacy between the “school by the sea and the School by LC” . A tussle that more often than not has provided entertainment beyond expectation to any one who cares to wander towards the SSC male or female. I have this gut feeling that this might be the year that Royal College take home the “D.S.Senanayake Shield” and rest it in its rightful place – The Pricipals cabinet down Reid avenue.