History
The original match was played between the Colombo Academy and S. Thomas' College, Mutwal in 1879, with schoolmasters and schoolboys participating. Mr. Ashley Walker captained the Colombo Academy while Rev. S. J. Meyrick, a member of the staff played for S. Thomas' College, Mutwal. This encounter is not considered the first match as Masters played for both sides. In 1880, only the students took part and this first official encounter between the Colombo Academy and S. Thomas' College, Mutwal in Modara was played at Galle Face Grounds, which is today the site of the Taj Samudra Hotel. The match commenced at 4.00 p.m. each day. The Beira Lake stretched up to the present railway line close to San Sebastian Hill and the two teams rowed across in boats to the Galle Face Grounds. The Academy made 110 in the first inning; and St. Thomas' 59. In the second innings the Academy made 35 and St. Thomas' 24. J. W. de Silva was the Academy captain and F. W. McDonnell the Thomian captain. In this first encounter Colombo Academy won by 62 runs. At present, the match is played between Royal College, Colombo which is a public non-denominational school accommodating approximately 8,500 students and S. Thomas' College, Mt Lavinia which is a private Anglican school that has about 2500 boys on roll and a branch network of three constituent colleges with a total of over 5,500 students. It was the first schoolboy cricket match in Sri Lanka to be played over three days. The Royal-Thomian is the second-longest uninterrupted Cricket series in the entire world, preceded only by the Cricket Intercol played between Prince Alfred College, Adelaide and St. Peter's College, Adelaide, whose first match was played in 1878.Shield
This match is played for the prestigious ''D. S. Senanayake'' Memorial Shield. Incidentally, Rt. Hon. D. S. Senanayake, who became the firstAtmosphere
The "Battle of the Blues" is filled with pageantry, with decorated tents, flags and baila singing and dancing groups present all around the city and the ground itself during the match days and in the days leading up to it. The match is held on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday. By tradition, the schools are closed on match days to allow students to attend the Big Match. Souvenirs published by both the schools are sold on all three days, the duty of distribution entrusted to the souvenir committees. On the day before the match, the students of each school take a walk around the city in a "cycle parade" with bands and decorations and other colourful items showing support for their team. Overloaded cars with supporters singing and careering along the Colombo streets is a familiar sight during match days. The match is looked forward to by both the young and old, male and female, and even those who have no connection with either school turn up and enjoy the celebrations. It is more of an occasion for the old boys and present students of both schools coming together for three days of revelry. It is quite normal to see elderly alumni from either school coming to the " Big Match" to relive old times and meet old friends. Some expatriates choose this time of year to return to Sri Lanka in order to relive their old school days.Venues
* Galle Face Grounds (Home of Colombo Cricket Club) - 1880, 1882 to 1891, 1893, 1894, 1897, 1899, 1912 * Gordon Gardens - 1881 * Nomads Cricket Club (NCC) Grounds, Victoria Park - 1892 * CCC Grounds, Maitland Crescent - 1895 to 1896, 1898, 1900 to 1911 * Campbell Park - 1913 to 1915, 1917 * NCC Grounds, Maitland Crescent - 1916, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1941 * Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Grounds, Victoria Park (current NCC grounds) - 1918 to 1934, 1938, 1940, 1942, 1944, 1946, 1948 * Colombo Oval - 1943, 1945, 1947, 1949 to 1974, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1986 to 1988, 1991, 1992, 1993 * SSC Grounds, Maitland Place - 1975, 1976, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1994 to PresentResults of the last encounter
;146th three-day match ---- ;48th limited overs matchNotable people who have played in the Royal Thomian Cricket Match
Source:The Royal Thomian DerbySee also
* Big Match * Royal-Thomian rivalry *References
External links