Sports

Battle of the Saints set to be a blockbuster

Published

10 months ago

2025/03/27

Kenath Liyanage, captain of St. Joseph’s, alongside Oween Salgado, captain of St. Peter’s, pose for photographs with the Rev. Fr. Maurice J. Le Goc Trophy – the prize every young Josephian and Peterite dreams of lifting. Pic by Nishan S. Priyantha.

The 91st edition of the grand old clash between Sri Lanka’s two premier Catholic institutions – St. Joseph’s College and St. Peter’s College – is set to bring the house down, with excitement hitting fever pitch. This year’s Battle of the Saints is no ordinary affair – it’s a three-day spectacle, stretching from the 3rd to the 5th of April, mirroring the format of the game’s longer version and promising to be anything but a tame draw.

Thanks to the proactive backing of Sri Lanka Cricket, this season’s big matches have all gone the distance – three days apiece – in a bid to add some real bite to the contests. No more settling for boring dead rubbers. In fact, the numbers don’t lie – of the 90 previous encounters, a whopping 67 have ended in draws. But this year, with an extra day in the bank, the chances of a result are looking as bright as a sunny day at the SSC.

Both St. Joseph’s and St. Peter’s were established by the French Oblate Missionaries, and they now lock horns annually for the much-coveted Rev. Fr. Maurice J. Le Goc Trophy – a symbol of glory and tradition passed down through generations.

Who Was Fr. Le Goc?

Rev. Fr. Maurice J. Le Goc, a man of letters and a true renaissance soul, was Rector of St. Joseph’s and a giant in the field of education. He wore many hats – scientist, botanist, astronomer, architect – a genuine all-rounder in every sense of the word. After a successful innings at St. Joseph’s, he was handed the task of planting a Josephian branch south of Colombo. That seed blossomed into what we now know as St. Peter’s College.

But the action doesn’t end with the longer format. Once the whites are packed away, the two schools will square off in the limited-over game – a white-ball thriller for the Rev. Fr. Peter A. Pillai Trophy – named after yet another educational heavyweight.

This year, Kenath Liyanage dons the skipper’s cap for the Josephians, while Oween Salgado leads the charge for the Peterites. Both captains will be looking to etch their names into history with bat and ball.

When it comes to bragging rights, St. Joseph’s have their noses in front with 12 wins to St. Peter’s ten. The Joes last tasted victory in 2008 under the astute leadership of Ruwantha Fernandopulle, while the Peterites had their moment in the sun in 2016, thanks to the calm and composed Vinu Mohotty.

Both schools have served as fertile nurseries for cricketing excellence. The Josephians have rolled out stars such as Dimuth Karunaratne, Angelo Mathews, Chaminda Vaas, Dunith Wellalage, Shevon Daniel, Thisara Perera, Ashley de Silva, Roshen Silva and Sadeera Samarawickrama – all of whom have worn the lion crest with pride.

Meanwhile, the Peterite dressing room has seen legends like Roy Dias, Rumesh Ratnayake, Vinodhan John, Amal Silva, Russel Arnold, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Malinda Warnapura, Angelo Perera, Janith Liyanage and Dushan Hemantha rise through its ranks. These two schools have not just produced players – they’ve produced match-winners.

Fans can catch all the action ball by ball via ThePapare TV on Dialog Television Channel 126, or stream it live on ThePapare.com and Dialog ViU app – perfect for those who prefer to follow the match from the comfort of their crease.

ThePapare’s stellar live coverage will shine a spotlight on over 40 school games across the island this season, bringing every six, wicket, and near-miss right to your fingertips.

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Sports

Brook’s hurricane leaves Sri Lanka facing uphill task in series decider

Published

6 mins ago

2026/01/28

Sahan Weerasooriya

Harry Brook raced to a 57-ball hundred

Harry Brook bludgeoned a whirlwind century off just 57 balls to put England firmly in the box seat in the series deciding third ODI against Sri Lanka at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday, as the tourists piled up a commanding 357 for three after electing to bat first.

The England captain was in a different zip code, finishing unbeaten on a brutal 136 off 66 balls in an exhibition of clean hitting that left the home attack gasping for air and the 4000 strong English contingent of supporters in raptures.

Brook’s assault, 11 fours and nine monstrous sixes, was power hitting with a surgeon’s precision, a blend of muscle and timing that turned the contest into a one sided affair.

Brook had walked into the series under the microscope following revelations he was fined GBP 30,000 after a nightclub altercation in New Zealand last October. But he looked to have put the incident behind him posting his third ODI hundred.

The platform was laid by an unbroken 191 run stand with former skipper Joe Root for the fourth wicket, a partnership that gave England total control as 130 runs were scored in the last ten overs, turning a strong total into a mountainous one.

Root’s own milestone, his 20th ODI hundred, was overshadowed by Brook’s destruction. The former captain remained unbeaten on a less than run a ball 111, continuing his role as Sri Lanka’s chief tormentor after half-centuries in the first two ODIs, but it was Brook who wielded the sledgehammer.

Earlier, a 126 run stand between Root and Jacob Bethell for the third wicket had set the stage for the late innings carnage, before Brook took centre stage, swinging freely and timing the ball sweetly as Sri Lanka’s bowlers ran out of answers.

It’s now England’s highest score against Sri Lanka in ODIs.

The total also stands as the fourth highest score at the venue, where anything north of 300 is usually a match winning one.

Sri Lanka’s five year unbeaten home ODI series record now hangs by a thread, with Brook’s special knock leaving the hosts staring down the barrel in a chase that will require something extraordinary to keep their fortress intact.

Sports

Savi excells as Petes take first innings points

Published

8 mins ago

2026/01/28

Sahan Weerasooriya

Savi Fernando

Savi Fernando produced his best knock in the Under 19 category- an unbeaten 150- for St. Peter’s to dominate the Tier A match against Richmond but visitors managed to salvage pride as they did better in the second innings in the Division I encounter at Bambalapitiya.

‎The Petes amassed 280 for three wickets declared thanks to Savi’s unbeaten knock. That was in reply to Richmond’s below par total of 130.

‎However, in their second essay the visitos batted for 73 overs to post 259 runs and deny any chance of an outright victory.

‎Scores

‎Richmond 130 all out in 47.1 overs (Bevin Jayawardhana 38, Nethuja Basitha 43; Sadeesha Kariyawasam 3/13, Sadeesha Silva 4/45, Dinsara Rathnaweera 3/37) and 259 all out in 73.2 overs (Thenusha Nimsara 62, Nethuja Basitha 31n.o., Risinu Rupasinghe 37, Minaga Ariyadasa 21; Janith Panditharathna 4/54, Sadeesha Silva 3/65, Dinsara Rathnaweera 3/80)

‎St. Peter’s 280 for 3 decl. in 58 overs

(Savi Fernando 151 n.o., Hiruka Silva 24, Savidu Silva 77; Thenusha Nimsara 2/68)

‎DSS 256/8, Royal 36/0 at Reid Avenue

‎Scores

‎DSS 256 for 8 in 80 overs (Janindu Ranasinghe 50, Randisha Bandaranayake 22, Shanaal Binuksha 93, Haamid Afdhal 22, Chithum Baddage 43n.o.; Sehandu Sooriyaarachchi 3/29, Mahiru Kodituwakku 4/47)

‎Royal 36 for no loss in 13 overs

(Hirun Liyanarachchi 25n.o.)

‎Javindu anchors Gurukula at

Thurstan ground

‎Scores

‎Gurukula 275 for 9 in 80 overs (Javindu Madusanka 95, Induwara Oshada 50, Adeepa Pinsara 33; Sethru Fernando 6/105)

‎Thurstan 17 for 3 in 13 overs (Sahas Induwara 2/02) (RF)

Sports

Sri Lanka record four wicket win over Afghanistan at Youth World Cup

Published

10 mins ago

2026/01/28

Sahan Weerasooriya

A combined team effort helped Sri Lanka Under 19s record a four wicket win over their Afghanistan counterparts in the Super Sixes Group 1 match of the ICC Youth World Cup in Windhoek on Monday.

‎After having restricted Afghanistan to 193 runs, Sri Lanka’s chase got off to a bad start when opening batsman Viran Chamuditha was out for one run.

‎The second wicket pair of Dimantha Mahavithana and Senuja Wakunugoda then added 55 for the second wicket.

‎Skipper Vimath Dinsara was dismissed for six runs but from then on the middle order chipped in with vital contributions to seal the victory with 19 balls to spare.

‎Dulnith Sigera came up with a vital knock of 30 runs and Kavija Gamage and Chamika Heenatigala contributed with valuable 20s.

‎Deciding to bowl first Sri Lanka restricted Afghanistan to 193 runs.

‎Viran Chamuditha gave away just 20 runs in his quota of ten overs and took two wickets. Paceman Kugathas Mathulan took two wickets but his ten overs cost him 62 runs.

‎Sethmika Senevirathne, Rasith Nimsara and Chamika Heenatigala took a wicket each.‎

‎Scores

‎Afghanistan U19 193 all out in 49.5 overs (Osman Sadat 61, Azizullah Miakhil 43; Viran Chamuditha 2-20, Kugathas Mathulan 2-62)

‎Sri Lanka U19 194 for 6 in 46.5 overs

(Senuja Wekunagoda 43, Dimantha Mahavithana 37, Dulnith Sigera 30, Kavija Gamage 25, Chamika Heenatigala 22n.o.; Roohullah Arab 2-23)