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Richmond–Mahinda Cricket Encounter

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Template:Infobox SL Interschool Tournaments The Richmond–Mahinda Cricket Encounter is an annual cricket big match played between the first XI cricket teams of Richmond College and Mahinda College in Galle, Sri Lanka. It is one of the longest cricket match series in Sri Lanka, having been played for over 100 years.[1] The match which is also known as the "Lovers' Quarrel" in public, is played at the Galle International Stadium. Lovers' Quarrel was begun in 1905, under the two principals Rev. James Horne Darrel of Richmond College and Mr. Frank Lee Woodward of Mahinda College.[2]

Match history and Series summary

Richmond-Mahinda big match during the British rule in Sri Lanka.

Richmond - Mahinda cricket big match was played for the first time in 1905 at Galle esplanade, with the two principals, Rev. J. H. Darrell of Richmond and Mr. F. L. Woodward of Mahinda, officiating as umpires. Richmond College won the inaugural match and went on to win the next two matches in 1906 and 1907. Mahinda College's first victory was registered in 1908 and their last victory in a big match was recorded in 2008,[3] while Richmond College's last win was recorded in 2014. Having broken a 30 year long deadlock of draws, Mahindians registered an emphatic 10 wicket win over Richmondites in the 2008 encounter. After a 45 year long winless streak, Richmondites also registered a win by an innings over Mahindians in the 2014 encounter. Out of the big matches played up to this year, Mahinda College has won 21 matches whereas Richmond College has won 24 matches.[4]

In 1953, Mahindian Somasiri Ambawatte captured all ten Richmond’s wickets in an innings to claim the bowling record of the series and in the same match he scored a century to record the finest all round feat in the history of the big match.[5] In 1972, Prasad Kariyawasam of Richmond College erased a 33 year old big match record of 155 runs held by Mahindian Sirisena Hettige, with an unbeaten 156 runs. On the very next day of the same match Mahindians piled up the highest score by a team, when they totaled 359 with their top order batsman P. H. K. H. Ranasinghe scoring 162.[6] It is the current record for the highest individual score by a batsman in the big match series.[5] Jayantha Dias of Richmond College holds the record for most centuries in the big match, scoring consecutive centuries in 1968 & 1969.

Conflict Regarding the Win count

The official win tally has been accepted as 23-21 in Richmond’s favour when the officials of two schools met recently resolve the mystery of the constantly changing number of wins each school had registered.

After years of uncertainty, Mahinda College authorities had invited Richmond to this meeting aimed at ending the conflicting claims by various parties.

The Richmond team headed by their Vice Principal Gamini Jayawardena included cricket historian, former cricketer and coach Rohitha Wickramasekara, senior Richmond old boy Dudley Silva and Richmond’s Cricket Master Lalith Kumarasiri – incidentally a Mahindian and Ranjith Gamage who acted as the Secretary of the meeting.

Mahinda Team was headed by Vice Principal J. Munasinghe and included former cricketer and coach Punya Arambewela, former cricketer Upul Sumathipala and W.J. Kulasuriya.

Both teams discussed the comprehensive history of the “Lovers’ Quarrel” in detail at the meeting held on March 13 at the Olcott Hall of Mahinda College and agreed upon the final win tally as beyond dispute before signing a joint statement accepting the proven number of wins as 23-21 in favour of Richmond.

Following are some of the main points of history in the Galle Big Match

Began in 1905 at Galle Esplanade (First Match Umpired by College Principals)

No Matches in the years 1910, 1911, 1912 due to spectator violence

1916 Richmond Principal had taken a decision not to take part in the cricket season (Richmond did not play a single match this season, but at the meeting it was agreed to consider this year’s result as a walk over for Mahinda)

1926 a Walk over to Richmond (Mahinda played the full season, but did not turn up for the big match)

1952 Match was abandoned without a result due to the sudden death of Prime Minister D S Senanayake. [4]

Notable persons who have played

Past records

Notable performances

Name School Performance Record / Remarks Year
P. S. Thuduwewatta Richmond 6 for 19 & 5 for 23 First 10-wicket match haul of the series 1917
Sirisena Hettige Mahinda 155 runs First century of the series 1939
R. M. M. De Silva Richmond 8 for 19 & 7 for 6 Best bowling performance of a match 1922
S. Ambawatte Mahinda 10 for 44 Best bowling performance in an innings 1953
S. Ambawatte Mahinda 103* runs, 10 for 44 & 5 for 61 Best all-round performance of the series 1953
R. M. M. De Silva Richmond 97 runs, 8 for 19 & 7 for 6 Best all-round performance of the series 1922
Basil Gunasekara Mahinda 99* runs First and only player to stranded on 99 1944
Jayantha Dias Richmond 111 runs & 117 runs First and only player to score consecutive centuries 1968 & 1969
P. H. K. H. Ranasinghe Mahinda 162 runs Highest individual score in an innings 1972
Prasad Kariyawasam Richmond 316 runs (156* in 1972) Highest aggregate of runs in the series 1969-1972
S. Ambawatte Mahinda 30 + wickets Highest aggregate of wickets in the series 1949-1953
( * - Remained not out )

Centuries

Name School Score Year
Sirisena Hettige Mahinda 155 runs 1939
Somasiri Ambawatte Mahinda 103* runs 1953
Jayantha Dias Richmond 111 runs 1968
Jayantha Dias Richmond 117 runs 1969
Prasad Kariyawasam Richmond 156* runs 1972
P. H. K. H. Ranasinghe Mahinda 162 runs 1972
Ruwan Korala Richmond 102 runs 1981
C. Hewamanna Richmond 102 runs 1987
Chaminda Mendis Richmond 129 runs 1988
D. Sudharshana Richmond 100* runs 1995
Thushara Rupasinghe Mahinda 109 runs 1998
Mohammed Faizer Richmond 115 runs 2002
A. K. Tyronne Richmond 137 runs 2014

See also

References

  1. ^ Sri Lanka junior stars in focus at Lovers’ Quarrel
  2. ^ Richmond, Mahinda clash in Centenary year
  3. ^ Southern Sri Lanka awaits action at 106th Lover’s Quarrel
  4. ^ a b Lovers resolve dispute without a quarrel
  5. ^ a b Richmond looks to break Mahinda stranglehold
  6. ^ Epasinghe, Premasara. "Cricketer now one of Sri Lanka's top Diplomats". The Island Online. Retrieved 2013-08-17.
  • Souvenirs, that were released to mark the 71st Richmond–Mahinda cricket encounter in 1976 & 97th encounter in 2002.
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