Reviewed by – Sathira Marahela
The 106th edition of the “Battle of the Blues,” between Trinity College Kandy and St. Anthony’s College Katugastota, was held between the 3rd– 5th April 2025 at the SACK grounds. Being a 3 day encounter, the match was attended by a generous community of students, teachers, parents and old boys, in a celebration of tradition, pride, and spirited competition.
The atmosphere was warm with excitement, with the familiar din of papare , flags waving, and both student bodies cheering with unmatched passion.
St. Anthony’s College won the toss and elected to bowl first. What followed was a dominant batting display by Team TCK. The spotlight fell on Pulisha Thilakaratna, who etched his name in the history of cricket at TCK, by scoring a magnificent 106 off 194 balls — becoming the first Trinitian in 15 years to score a century in the big match. His innings was one of determination and composure, met with thunderous applause from the Trinity faithful. Aadham Hilmy also made a notable contribution, anchoring the innings with a solid 61 off 162 deliveries. Under the leadership of captain Malith Rathnayake, and having reached a strong hold, Trinity declared their innings at 314 for 6 after 88.5 overs.
Starting to bat, Antonians responded with 250 for 9 in their first innings before declaring, with Kaushika Kumarasinghe making an impressive 136. Trinity’s bowlers kept up well with the competition, with Bimash Samarasinghe and Thilina Edirisinghe delivering devastating blows to the opposition’s scores.
In their second innings, Trinity came out looking to accelerate. Pulisha once again played with flair, scoring 42 off 43 balls, while Rajindu Tillakaratne chipped in with a quick 27. However, as time ran out and the Antonians picked up wickets, the match moved toward a natural finish. Trinity ended at 99 for 5 in 19 overs before stumps were drawn on the second day. Despite the fighting spirit displayed by both teams, the match ended in a draw.
Trinity College extends its gratitude to all the players, officials, and supporters who made this event a success. Special appreciation goes to the coaching staff for their continuous dedication and commitment. We thank the Head Coach Mr. Naveen Ekanayake, Assistant Coach Mr. Thisaru Dilshan and the Masters-in-Charge Mr. Brian Senarathne, Mr. Bandula Pushpakumara and the Physiotherapist Mr Thilanka Dissanayake for their unwavering support throughout the season.
We wish the team the very best for the challenges ahead, and may the spirit of Trinity cricket continue to grow.
