Trinity–Antonian Cricket Encounter


The Trinity–Antonian Cricket Encounter is the leading annual school cricket match of the hill country which is played between Trinity College, Kandy and St. Anthony's College, Kandy since 1914. It is considered to be one of the oldest annual school cricket encounters in Sri Lanka. This encounter is being played for the John Halangoda Memorial Trophy and is awarded to the team who manages to win the match by means of an outright win or failing that, a first innings win. But a first innings win will not go into the records as a win to the relevant team.
Out of the 102 games played, the Trinitians have won 23 with 11 ending in favour of the Antonians. The last outright win for the Antonians was in 1992 and Trinity won last under Niroshan Dickwella in 2012 after the 1986 win under Thushara Weerasuriya. The victory came after 26 years. St. Anthony's College, Kandy are the current holders of the trophy after their 1st innings win in 2019 as they managed to restrict Trinity College to 173 after posting 298 for the loss of 8 wickets.
The winner of the limited overs encounter, usually played a week after the 2-day match, will be awarded the Sir Richard Aluwihare Trophy.

History


The first encounter was played at the Bogambara Grounds in March 1914; the Antonians won. Trinity won the next match, and a long-contested series has followed.
1918 to 1929, during the World War I St. Anthony's College premises including the practice pitches and the playing-fields were occupied by the British Army. As a result, Antonian cricket deprived and they had lost to Trinity for 11 times consecutively. Without a playground of their own, The Antonians were no match for the Trinitians even with the like of legendary Jack Anderson in the team.
The post-war period was inauspicious for the Antonians, as they had a poor run in the field. Trinity during that time had C. Dharmalingam, a left-arm bowler who for two consecutive years nagged the Antonians with his left-arm spin. In 1938 he took 9 for 14 and in 1939 had the figures of 6 for 17 and 6 for 31 inclusive of a double hat-trick, a world record.
Then there was T. B. Werapitiya with scores of 100 in 1943 and 143 in 1944, the highest score made by a Trinitian. Meanwhile, the Antonians came back fighting in 1947, and nearly tumbled the Trinitians Asgiriya after getting back their premises, with facilities restored and having the services of a renowned cricket coach in Mr. John Halangoda. The strong Trinity batting line-up crumbled under the spin bowling of Dicky Dunuwille, the Antonian mystery bowler who was later responsible in changing the fortunes of Antonian cricket. Antonians however lost the match by 68 runs due to a spectacular fielding performance where seven close-in-catches were grabbed by Trinity's Clarence Senanayake to dismiss the Antonians.
The Antonians won the very next encounter at Katugastota Oval where Dicky Dunuwilla taking 6 for 10 once again mesmerized the Trinitians and the Antonians since then have not looked back. During the post-independence period Trinity has registered only four wins against the Antonian tally of eight wins. Most Antonian victories in the series have been registered during the period.
A disagreement between the two schools, regarding the age rule resulted in the cancellation of the match in 1956 and 1957. Also, in 2001 the match did not play as the Trinity stopped playing mid way during that season due to disciplinary reasons.

Notable persons who have played

Past records

Notable performances

NameSchoolRecordYear
Jack AndersonSACKScored 111 runs-First Century of the Series1918
A.C.M. LaffirSACKHighest Individual score of 176 runs1954
A.C.M. Laffir and Ronnie StevensSACKRecord Opening Stand of 266 runs A.C.M. Laffir & Ronnie Stevens 1954
N/ATCKLowest Total 37 runs1951
N/ASACKLowest Total 44 runs1938
C. DharmalingamTCKDouble Hat-trick1939
Lalith RamanayakeTCKFastest century scored 100 runs in just 72 minutes1970
Meril DunuwilleSACKFirst century at SACK grounds1970

;Centuries
NameSchoolScoreYear
Jack AndersonSACK1111918
M.D.D. JayawardeneTCK1201922
L.C. de MelTCK1111923
T.B. WerapitiyaTCK1001943
T.B. WerapitiyaTCK1431944
Ronald StevensSACK1021952
Ronald StevensSACK1261954
A.C.M. LafirSACK1761954
S.W. SeneviratneSACK100*1958
Charlie JosephSACK1271960
Jayantissa RatwatteTCK1031960
Franklyn BurkeSACK1451962
Wasantha SeneviratneSACK1101964
M.T.M. ZarookTCK1101964
Ralston BurkeSACK1651965
Randy SimsSACK1001969
Meril DunuwilleSACK1061970
Lalith RamanayakeTCK1101970
Niroshan de SilvaTCK1001971
Premalal de SilvaSACK1481973
Bernard PereraSACK155*1976
N. DambawinnaTCK1301978
Marlon VonhagtSACK1231983
M Angelo WickremasingheSACK1441984
Nuwan KalpageSACK100*1990
Kaushalya WeeraratneTCK1481999
Shameera WijesooriyaTCK114*2009
Kanishka UggalpayaSACK1072016
Chamindu WickramasingheSACK1282019

;Captains
YearSACKTCK
2019Theeksha GunasinghePubudu Bandara
2018Janidu HimsaraHasitha Boyagoda
2017Mohammed AlfarShanogeeth Shanmunganathan
2016Kanishka UggalpayaRaveen Sayer
2015Buwaneka WijethungaRaveen Sayer
2014Nimesha GunasingheRon Chandraguptha
2013Sachin BulathsinghalaDinuk Wickramanayaka
2012Kanishka RanarajaNiroshan Dickwella
2011Hiran WickremasekeraAkkila Jayasundera
2010Dulash KumarasingheMohamed Sajid
2009Sahan PallihakkaraRushan Jaleel
2008K. DissanayakeDilan Gangoda
2007Selvyn JamianSachith Pathirana
2006Shameer MunasCharitha Dumbarage
2005Pramodth FernandoMaduranga Munaweera
2004Mohamed RizlanClifford Fernando
2003Nipuna RatnayakeClifford Fernando
2002Prasad RanawakaRandil Gamage
2000N. M NizamKaushalya Weeraratne
1999Suranga Pinnaduwa
1998Mahes PallihakkaraSudanga Fernando
1997Tharaka GunaratneKumar Sangakkara
1992Umesh de AlwisKalum Edirisinghe
1991Nuwan KalpageYM Goonatilake
1990Suresh de AlwisSuren Jayasinghe
1989Suresh de AlwisDudeepa Ratwatte
1988Ruwan KalpageChanna Fernando
1987Damien NadarajahDenham Madena
1986Rienzie PereraThushara Weerasuriya
1985Angelo WickramasuriyaAnuruddha Athureliya
1984Marlon Von HagtDirk D'Silva
1983Marlon Von HagtJeremy Muthumani
1982Anura DunuwilleSuresh Perera & Prinith Yainne
1981Faizal MajeedSTB Ellepola
1980Angelo LiyanageRavi Ratnayake
1978Russel De La MotteAndre Tissera
1970Merry GunarathneNihal Ranjith Marambe
1966Nadaraj NagendraHarindra Dunuwille
1959Charlie JosephNimal Maralande
1951Bernard WeerakoonEustace Rulach