Note: wet ground conditions led to cancellation of this event. A new date will be announced in due course
On July 01, Canada Day, Sri Lankans from all over Toronto, Canada will flock to the famous Maple Leaf Cricket Club grounds, also known as King-City Cricket grounds to watch this popular event, three ‘Big Matches’ played between the arch rivals, Royal College Vs St. Thomas’, St. Peter’s College Vs St. Joseph’s College and Trinity College Vs St. Anthony’s College.
These cricket matches originated in Sri Lanka many years ago. the old boys of these respective schools, living in Canada have formed College Unions/Associations and have organized the identical games happening in this part of the world.
Whether you play or not, past pupils, their families, friends and relations will be there to ‘cheer’ the schools which maintains a very high standard of cricket here with their best players including some of the ‘Elite’ level and national cricketer’s playing in the above said matches.
To name a few legends of Sri-Lankan cricket produced by the schools, Trinity is ever proud of the world’s renowned KUMAR SANGAKKARA and their rival school St. Anthony’s equally proud of their ‘Spin King’ and the world’s record holder, MUTTIAH MURALITHARAN. Royal College has too many cricketers and RANJAN MADUGALLE, the ICC’s Chief Match Referee come in to my mind. St. Joseph’s has the current Captain of the SL national team ANGELO MATHEWS, leading the way. St. Peter’s College has produced many and the current popular cricketing commentator RUSSEL ARNOLD, a former test cricketer along with Roy Dias, Rumesh Ratnayake (ICC’s Fast Bowling Specialist) has brought fame to the college. Last but not least, St. Thomas’ has also produced many former Ceylon and Sri-Lankan cricketer’s and the system shows up with ‘Master Blaster’ during the late 70’s and early 80’s and that is none other than DULEEP MENDIS, who also entertained the Canadian cricket fans at the ‘Dome’ now known as Roger’s centre by scoring 77 representing a World XI against the mighty Champions of cricket in that era, the West Indies, Captained by Clive Lloyd.
These six Colleges has produced many a cricketer’s in different era’s and they have all made their respective schools proud and done yeomen service to their mother-land too.
Some of the current Sri-Lankan cricketer’s who will be in action at this event will be Ruvindu Gunasekera, Srimantha Wijeyeratne, John Mendis, Clement Fernando (for St. Peter’s) Dhanuka Pathirana, Trevin & Gavin Bastiampillai, Arvind Kandappa, Veteran Rajive Benedict, Brian Rajadurai, Ravishankar, Manikkavasaga Rosahn, who opened bowling with Chaminda Vaas for St. Joseph’s, Rohan Jayasekera, former SL Natioanl player for Royal, his brother Shantha Jayasekera, Russel Rajaratnam for St. Thomas’, St. Anthony’s college boasts of Damien Nadarajah, Sudesh Dilshan, Kuga Pittchu, and Trinity College too has many who had represented their college in First Eleven cricket.
It will be a day full of Glamour and Entertainment with DJ Music, Food and Drinks stalls at the premises and the ‘bar’ operated by MLCC club management.
The Joe-Pete game will have the former Canadian National Captain, Zubin Surkari operating as Match Commissioner/Adjudicator and a prominent old boy Captain of the College First XI team in 1963, Tyrone Lemecier, domiciled in Melbourne, Australia, will be the Chief Guest and the two teams will be introduced before the start of the game.
Hope the “Weather God’s” will behave well in favor of cricket and certainly be a great day of entertainment.
Reporting by SRINATH WIJEYERATNE