The time has come yet again to celebrate what could be the greatest cricketing rivalry Sri Lanka-and quite possibly, the world-has ever seen. For all those who have walked the hallways of Royal and S. Thomas’ this is not just the most looked forward to cricket match in the country.
These three days and the days leading up to it are a time of euphoria, age old tradition and unforgettable memories. Of course one can’t possibly write anything on the Battle of the Blues and fail to mention those whose names will be etched in history. I speak of course of the teams. These boys work tirelessly right throughout the year in anticipation of “The Big Match”. Those who don the colored blazer and cap are heroes in their own right. But as someone very wise once said- “Behind every great man, is a woman”. And so I ask, has anyone ever stopped to ponder about the women behind these cricketing legends? Being one such “woman” when I was presented with this opportunity, I simply had to take it. What is the Battle of the Blues from a girlfriend’s perspective?
My father wasn’t schooled in Sri Lanka so the first time I actually witnessed the Battle and everything it entailed was when I was about 16 years of age. Until then my experiences concerning the Royal Thomian were limited to the horde of boys jumping over school walls and the flurry of Blue, Gold and Black which Colombo burst into in anticipation of the match. Personally I never really supported either school but as my friends cheered on the Blue and Black I succumbed to pressure and did as well. Being teenage girls we weren’t really here to pay close attention to the proceedings of the match (as I’m sure you know) But little did I know that in a few years not only would I sit and watch the whole match but the blue and black band on my wrist would turn blue and gold.
Now I’m not about to sit and bore you with relationship advice that I myself am not qualified enough to give but to all the teeny boppers that dream of their names being printed in the either of the school’s souvenirs; let me tell you something, dating a cricketer is a whole different ball game. (Pun intended) I do admit, you tend to become the latest subject of interest at your school. I became one of these “new found interests” in school as I dated that year’s Royal opener, Shaminda. I’ve lost track of the times where I was cornered at the back of the chapel by a throng of girls, deeply interested in my relationship with said cricketer. “Achera! I saw his name in the Sunday Times” “Is Shaminda playing for the Big Match??” “WOW you’ll have to go all three days to watch wont you?” “WHAT WILL YOU WEAR?” Sure, if you like the limelight all that is very good, but like they say with great power, comes great responsibility so if you plan on sailing through this crucial few months that is “season” with no worries, my dear you are so very wrong.
The first thing that comes to mind is the boys’ schedules. After a day of fitness, school and practice you can’t expect the poor fellows to hold a conversation without accidentally falling asleep on the phone. And then of course are the matches at the end of the week. If you are the type of girl that expects to have a Friday night out with your guy I suggest you pack up and leave. 3 words: SLEEP. IS. KEY. Also As a sportsman’s significant other you are their number one fan. Irrespective of how they played in this match or what happened to the match overall. These matches pretty much determine their moods for the rest of the week so for the sake of everyone’s sanity, hope and pray they go well. Then of course not unlike any group activity out there, comes the team bonding sessions, so again if you’re the damsel in distress type and crave attention 24/7, I suggest you read a book or something and be useful till he gets home. My rant wouldn’t be complete if I left out the caricature section of the respective souvenirs. Everything in it is to be taken lightly and in good fun (apparently), but the boys behind it-ruthless creatures who pardon no human being.
Then after months of preparation finally comes the crucial 3 days. The week leading up to it was a case of pre match jitters for him AND for me as well. It’s a case of hoping and praying that after all these months he’ll be rewarded and selected to play for The Big Match-and if he is-that he plays well. For the week before the match the cricketers go into what pretty much to me seemed to be some kind of lockdown. They are isolated from the outside world and are meant to eat, sleep and breathe cricket (from what I understood anyway) This concept to me was utterly foreign and unheard of, lucky for me I didn’t have to go through this alone, I had two such experienced “Cricketer Girlfriends” to keep me company, and it was with these two that I went to SSC with to watch our significant others play. I spent most of those 3 days sitting at SSC following the match. However when I couldn’t I was either at home watching the live coverage of it or at school, watching the clock tick. Shaminda was opening batsman that year. In life I’ve had a fair share of butterflies in my stomach and nervous encounters, but the herd of elephants I had in my tummy while watching Shaminda open for Royal College was a whole new feeling entirely. The next day I was forced to go to SSC only after school. I had 4 hours of Biology that Friday; I don’t think I paid attention for a minute. Proteins could take a backseat, my thoughts were at SSC. Whether you are a family member, a friend or like me-a girlfriend of one of the boys out on that field you can’t help but feel immensely proud of what these boys have achieved. Honestly there’s no similar feeling to the one you get watching someone live their dream, and that’s exactly what these boys are doing.
Before dating Shaminda the Big Match was just one event out of many in a year to me. It was after beginning to date the said cricketer that I began to realize that it was so much more than that. To be honest I don’t think it’s possible for anyone apart from the chosen few to really understand what the Royal Thomian means to these boys. They spend quite possibly their whole lives dreaming of representing their Alma Mater at this match and when it comes to that moment there are no words to really sum up their emotions. It wouldn’t be right for me to even try and put what they feel in to writing. However what I can do is congratulate all those who stand in front of the spectators at SSC representing their college at the Royal Thomian. You have played your part in a historic event and for that you deserve to be commended.
And finally to wrap up I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the girlfriends of these heroes. To the teenaged Victoria’s, Yehali’s and Christina’s of school cricket; Congratulations on your levels of patience, and a job well done!
