Battle of the Saints set to be a blockbuster

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.