Sports
Stubbs Shield Boxing from October 31
The 105th Stubbs Shield, a major event in Sri Lankan schools’ boxing, will be held from October 31 to November 5 at the Royal MAS Arena in Colombo. As part of the Education Ministry’s National School Games, the Stubbs Shield attracts the best boxers from across the island. This year, with 550 boxers from 126 schools across three age divisions – under 16 (junior), under 18 (youth), and under 20 (senior) – competing in 36 weight classes, the stage is set for a fierce competition for the coveted Shield and the Col. T.Y. Wright Challenge Cup for the Best Boxer in the boys’ division.
This year’s Stubbs Shield holds special significance for participating schools with a strong boxing heritage, including the defending champions, St. Sylvester’s College Kandy. With an impressive 17 Shield victories, including four golds, two silvers, and a bronze at last year’s competition, St. Sylvester’s remains a formidable contender, having taken home the Shield three years running. They are determined to maintain their winning streak and maintain their dominance in Sri Lankan school boxing.
Royal College, Colombo, another traditional powerhouse, enters the competition with a historic record of 19 Stubbs Shield titles, more than any other school. The school’s legacy includes two separate streaks of four consecutive wins, first from 1944 to 1947 and again from 1984 to 1987, making Royal an enduring force in Sri Lankan boxing. Notably, they have competed in nearly every Stubbs Shield since its inception, missing only in 1999.
Vidyartha College, Kandy, stands out for its remarkable seven-year winning streak from 1991 to 1997 in Stubbs Shield history. Their sustained commitment to boxing excellence has inspired young athletes throughout the nation, securing Vidyartha’s place among the elite boxing schools in Sri Lanka.
Vidyarathana University College, Horana, this year’s champions of the L.V. Jayaweera and T.B. Jayah tournaments, is set to leverage its success in novice-level competitions for a strong showing at this year’s National School Games.
Sri Lanka’s school boxers have seen notable international success recently, which adds to the excitement surrounding this year’s Stubbs Shield. Kalupahana National School’s Athukoralage Dona Senudi earned a bronze medal at the ASBC Asian Championships, highlighting Sri Lankan talent on a broader stage. Competitors like Abdur Rahman Zaidh from Zahira College, Colombo, and Shihasna Kawindi Hetthiya from Kalupahana National School have also performed exceptionally in recent international bouts, bringing invaluable experience to the tournament.
Founded in 1914, the Stubbs Shield has remained resilient, with only three cancellations in its long history. Its legacy has been shaped by schools like St. Mary’s College, Dehiwala, St. Michael’s College, Polwatte, S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia, Trinity College, Kandy and Zahira College, Maradana, each contributing to the rich tradition of boxing excellence in Sri Lanka.
The Stubbs Shield has stood as Sri Lanka’s oldest and most celebrated school boxing championship. Named after Sir R. Edward Stubbs, a former Governor of Ceylon, the tournament has become the pinnacle of school-level boxing in Sri Lanka.
The tournament has only been interrupted three times in its long history — during World War II, in the height of the civil conflict, and more recently due to COVID-19 restrictions. Each return of the Stubbs Shield after these interruptions was marked by heightened enthusiasm and increased participation, demonstrating its deep-rooted cultural importance and the tenacity of the schools involved.
In the early years, traditional powerhouses like Royal College, Colombo, S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia, and Zahira College, Maradana, set high standards for the competition, establishing it as a rigorous test of skill, endurance, and discipline. By the 1940s, Royal College had secured its place in Stubbs Shield history with a remarkable four-year winning streak, a feat they repeated in the 1980s, showcasing the school’s consistency in producing top-tier boxers.
The 1990s brought an era of domination by Vidyartha College, Kandy, whose record-setting seven-year winning streak from 1991 to 1997 remains unbroken. This era inspired a wave of young boxers across the country, especially from schools in Kandy, creating an enduring legacy for Vidyartha in the annals of Sri Lankan school boxing.
With the support of the Sri Lanka Schools Boxing Association and the Education Ministry, the Stubbs Shield has grown to accommodate a broad range of weight categories, allowing schools from all corners of Sri Lanka to participate.
The Stubbs Shield’s century-long history is a testament to its enduring appeal and impact on Sri Lankan sports. Generations of champions, inspired by the competition’s legacy, have used the Stubbs Shield as a launchpad to national and international acclaim, solidifying its reputation as a cradle of boxing talent and a milestone in the journey of aspiring young athletes.
Among them are Sri Lanka’s first ever international gold medal winner Barney Henricus, a Stubbs Shield winner from Royal in 1933, who went on to win the Feather weight (57kg) title for Ceylon (as Sri Lanka was then known) at the 1938 Empire Games (now Commonwealth Games) in Sydney. As the 105th edition approaches, schools and spectators alike eagerly anticipate the next chapter in the storied history of the Stubbs Shield, where tradition and ambition collide in pursuit of boxing excellence.
The India and Zimbabwe women’s teams are all set to play an international fixture against each other for the first time when Zimbabwe tour India for white-ball fixtures this October.
The tour comprises three T20Is and three ODIs and will be Zimbabwe’s first visit to India; India are yet to tour Zimbabwe for bilateral fixtures.
The three T20Is will be played in Raipur on October 16, 18 and 20, and the ODIs are on October 23, 25 and 28 in Baroda.
The fixtures were announced by the BCCI on Wednesday, along with two home series for the India A women’s side against Australia A in September and England A in December. Both those series comprise three T20s, three List A games and one multi-day fixture.
The India Under-19 women’s team will also host Sri Lanka U-19 in June and July for three T20s and three 50-over games, and England U-19 in November and December for five T20 fixtures.
The Australia A men’s side will tour India for two multi-day fixtures and three one-dayers in September and October, while the Australia U-19 side will visit India for two multi-day fixtures and three one-dayers also in September and October.
[Cricinfo]
Sports
Fast bowlers to get more opportunities as new format introduced for Under-15 Division I tourney
The Inter-Schools Under-15 Division I cricket tournament will be conducted under a revamped format this year, with organisers shifting the focus back to limited-overs cricket while introducing new rules aimed at promoting fast bowling.
The tournament, organised by the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA), will see only the top-tier Division I competition played in a 50-over format. Meanwhile, Division II and Division III matches will continue under the one-day, four-innings structure.
SLSCA Secretary Saman Hettiarachchi said the changes were made following consultations with experts from Sri Lanka Cricket, with a clear objective of providing greater opportunities for pace bowlers.
”We opted for the limited-overs format for Division I in consultation with Sri Lanka Cricket. The lower divisions will copete in the innings format as we have observed matches ending early without utilizing the full quota of overs,” Hettiarachchi told ‘The Island’.
A key feature of the revised rules is the compulsory allocation of overs for fast bowlers. In a full 50-over innings, a minimum of 20 overs must be bowled by pacemen. Additionally, during the first 10 overs, at least eight overs must be delivered by fast bowlers. If an innings is reduced to 30 overs or fewer, at least six of the first eight overs must be bowled by pace.
”It was made mandatory to give more opportunities to pacemen,” Hettiarachchi explained.
Meanwhile, the official draw for the Division I tournament has been released, featuring 70 teams divided into 16 groups from Group A to Group P for the preliminary round. Each team is guaranteed multiple matches during the opening stage.
Defending champions St. Joseph’s College headline Group A, where they will meet Nalanda College, Dharmapala College, St. John’s College, Lumbini College and De La Salle College.
With traditional cricketing powerhouses spread across the groups, it will be interesting to see how the first round pans out in the new-look tournament.
Under 15 Division I Tournament First Round Groups
GROUP A
St. Joseph’s College, Colombo
Nalanda College, Colombo
Dharmapala College, Pannipitiya
St. John’s College, Nugegoda
Lumbini College, Colombo
De La Salle College, Colombo
GROUP B
D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo
S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia
Presidents’ College, Kotte
Wesley College, Colombo
Carey College, Colombo
Sri Dharmaloka College, Kelaniya
GROUP C
St. Anthony’s College, Wattala
St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa
Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Kottawa
St. Peter’s College, Colombo
C.W.W. Kannangara MV, Colombo
Ashoka College, Colombo
GROUP D
St. Benedict’s College, Colombo
Royal College, Colombo
Gurukula College, Kelaniya
Lyceum International School, Wattala
Bandaranayake MMV, Gampaha
St. John’s College, Panadura
GROUP E
De Mazenod College, Kandana
Isipathana College, Colombo
Christ King College, Ja-Ela
Thurstan College, Colombo
Ananda Shastralaya NS, Kotte
St. Joseph Vaz College, Vennappuwa
GROUP F
Mahanama College, Colombo
Piliyandala MMV, Piliyandala
Ananda College, Colombo
Sri Jayawardenapura NS, Kotte
Presidents College, Maharagama
St. Thomas’ College, Kotte
GROUP G
Wadduwa MMV, Wadduwa
Sri Sumangala College, Panadura
Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa
Moratu Vidyalaya, Moratuwa
Revatha College, Balapitiya
Royal College, Panadura
GROUP H
Dharmaraja College, Kandy
St. Mary’s College, Kegalle
Kegalu Vidyalaya, Kegalle
Kingswood College, Kandy
Vidyartha College, Kandy
Ibbagamuwa MMV, Ibbagamuwa
GROUP J
Maris Stella College, Negombo
Maliyadeva College, Kurunegala
Harischandra College, Negombo
Maliyadeva Adarsha MV, Kurunegala
Galahitiyawa MMV, Ganemulla
Sandalankawa MMV, Sandalankawa
GROUP K
St. Anthony’s College, Kandy
St. Sylvester’s College, Kandy
Trinity College, Kandy
Royal College, Polonnaruwa
St. Thomas’ College, Matale
Jaffna Hindu College, Jaffna
GROUP L
Sri Pangnananda MMV, Raddoluwa
St. Anne’s College, Kurunegala
St. Mary’s College, Chilaw
Sri Sumangala NS, Wariyapola
St. Peter’s College, Negombo
St. Xavier’s College, Marawila
GROUP M
Devapathiraja College, Rathgama
St. Aloysius College, Galle
Holy Cross College, Kalutara
Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda
Kalutara Vidyalaya, Kalutara
Vidyaloka College, Galle
GROUP N
Mahinda College, Galle
Tissa MV, Kalutara
Rahula College, Matara
Debarawewa NS, Debarawewa
St. Thomas’ College, Matara
Meepawala Amarasuriya MV
GROUP P
St. Servatius’ College, Matara
Richmond College, Galle
Sri Devananda College, Ambalangoda
Karandeniya MMV, Karandeniya
P. De S. Kularathna MV, Ambalangoda
President’s College, Embilipitiya.
by Reemus Fernando
With the success the seven MCA men’s cricket tournaments have achieved, the Executive Committee of Mercantile Cricket Association (MCA) have decided to give Women’s Cricket in Sri Lanka a boost by introducing a hard ball Women’s Cricket Tournament for the corporate sector.
With the international recognition women’s cricket has gained at present, it is no secret that there still are many talented lasses aspiring to reach the zenith of the game.
Even with the measures Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) the game’s governing body through the Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA) have taken to promote girls cricket in schools, a considerable number of talented players, specially in the provinces do not have an opportunity to be recognized.
It is the MCA’s belief that with the introduction of a MCA Women’s Cricket Tournament, the corporate sector will be encouraged to field teams, and in doing so will give a hand to talented lasses and school leavers by providing them with employment as well as the opportunity to realise their aspirations in the Women’s Cricket arena.
At present in addition to the seven major Men’s tournaments the MCA organise the
Mercantile Six-a-Side tournament, the Over-40 Sixes competition, the 20×20 league, and the esteemed MCA Inter Academy Invitational tournament,
As an initial step, the MCA will be conducting a Women’s six and side soft ball cricket tournament for the corporate sector teams on Saturday 23rd May 2026 at the Mercantile Cricket Association grounds.
For further information please contact Chamara on 0759592488 or Prasad 0759809777.
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