HISTORY OF CRICKET - Sack vs ST JOSEPH’S
When St Anthony’s College, Kandy (SACK) host St Joseph’s College, Colombo (SJC) at Katugastota on Thursday 29 and Friday 30 January, the two Saints schools will clash for the 112th time. From the inaugural encounter in 1899, when St Joseph’s recorded a 90-run victory, this fixture has upheld a proud tradition of fair play and great sportsmanship. That match, however, is not included in our records, as the Antonians did not field an official student-only side at the time, and its exclusion preserves the way the tally has been historically reported.
Kaushika Kumarasinghe (SACK) and Hiranya Amarasinghe (SJC) are the respective captains this year.
Last year’s game ended in a draw at Darley Road with the home side posting 325 all out in response to the Antonians’ first innings total of 250. Skipper Charuka Ekanayake (72) and Kevan Ramika (47) led a remarkable recovery for the visitors, adding 112 runs for the 7th wicket after Yenula Dewthusa (5/55) had threatened to dismantle the batting lineup. Yenula showcased his all-round skills, top-scoring with 71 to ensure the Joes secured a first-innings lead, supported by skipper Kenath Liyanage (57), Aveesah Samash (56), and Senuja Wakunugoda (49). Sixteen-year-old left-arm spinner Ryan Gregory (6/83) was the standout bowler for the Antonians. (SACK 250; SJC 325)
Both schools have produced cricketers of the highest calibre, with several going on to represent Sri Lanka. Foremost among them are two legends of the game—Muttiah Muralitharan (SACK) and Chaminda Vaas (SJC). Together, they shouldered Sri Lanka’s bowling attack for more than 100 Test matches and 300 One-Day Internationals, claiming a remarkable combined haul of 1,155 Test wickets and 934 ODI wickets. In 2007, it was only fitting that brothers Theo and Pradeep Fernando, both from SACK, donated a magnificent trophy named in honour of these two greats, in memory of their father, Bede Fernando, a proud old Josephian. Reflecting the family’s desire to maintain balance between the two schools, Pradeep’s son Viresh was educated at St Joseph’s College. Adding a touch of irony to the rivalry, Muralitharan’s son Naren represented the Joes last year, lining up against his father’s alma mater.
The inaugural Murali-Vass Trophy flyer
Across 120 years of history and after several thrilling games, St Joseph’s have come out on top more frequently than the Kandy school. The record stands at 44 wins for SJC, 9 wins for SACK with 58 draws.
The wins for SJC were registered in 1909-1911,1914, 1916, 1918-1921, 1923-1925, 1927-1929, 1932, 1934, 1936-1939, 1941, 1943, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1959, 1963, 1964, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1980, 1984, 2008, 2013-2016 & 2020. (Note: this tally excludes the 1899 game)
For SACK, the wins came in 1913, 1915, 1917, 1922, 1926, 1930, 1956, 1991 & 2019.
The encounter was not played in 1912, 1935, 1942, 1961, 2021 & 2022.
The last Josephian victory came in 2020 at Darley Road under the captaincy of Johanne de Silva, who scored a commanding century in the second innings to secure the win. Johanne and his opening partner, Sheran Fonseka, compiled an unbroken 188-run stand for the first wicket in just 21 overs. Dunith Wellalage delivered a match-winning performance with 11 wickets for 72 runs, including 7/53 in the second innings, to dismiss the visitors late on the second day. (SJC 209 and 188-0, SACK 144 and 169). The most recent Antonian triumph came in 2019 at Katugastota. Their first win in 28 years was powered by centuries from skipper Theeksha Gunasinghe (142) and Kalhara Senaratne (106), complemented by a 12-wicket haul from Nimnaka Jayathilake (SJC 218 and 119, SACK 354).
Historically, six of the nine Antonian wins were recorded between 1913 and 1930, against strong Josephian sides. During this era, the Colombo school dominated, winning 14 of 19 encounters between 1910 and 1929, and continued to perform consistently until 1974. Since then, until the inauguration of the Murali-Vaas Trophy, the Josephians experienced a prolonged drought, claiming only two victories in 34 years—a sharp contrast to their earlier dominance.
DOWN MEMORY LANE
Let us now journey through the history of the Anto-Joes encounters and relive some of their most memorable moments. The series officially began on 9th October 1909 (the 1910 season), though records show that a lone match had been played earlier, in 1899.
The inaugural game in 1909 was won by St Joseph’s by a margin of an innings and 72 runs. Fine all-round performance by Abeywickrema (94 & 6/17 in the second innings) was instrumental in the Joes win. For the Antonians, F. Wijegoonewardena (7/86) bowled his heart out in the only innings. (SACK 122 & 40, SJC 234)
In 1911 at Bogambara, the Joes were too strong once again defeating the hosts by an innings and 72 runs. J.A.B Peiris (6/36) and S.Silva (5/11) took the bowling honours in each innings for the Joes, and L Ratnayake (85) top scored for the victors. (SACK 90 & 82; SJC 250/6d)
The names Jack Anderson (SACK) and Oswin Wright (SJC) are very much entrenched in the history of the respective schools. They had the distinction of scoring the first century for each school, with Oswin reaching the mark first in 1914 when he scored 132 out of 172/1 declared in a “whole-day” game against SACK at Darley Rd. The game started at 8.30 in the morning and ended with the Antonians tottering at 32/8 in their second innings. Jack top scored for the Kandy school with 50 in the first innings. (SJC 132 & 172/1d; SACK 124 & 32/8). In the same year, Oswin also registered St Joseph’s maiden centuries against Royal College and Wesley College. In 1916, Bertie Hillman hit an unbeaten 167, an innings that is yet to be emulated by a Josephian.
Jack Anderson’s turn came in 1917 when he blasted a stunning 184 at Bogambara, which remains to date as the highest individual innings between the two sides. His innings carried the Antonians, led by James Ferguson, to an easy win by an innings and 162 runs. R.A.D Joseph (5/22) and J Cater (4/26) complemented Anderson’s innings with the ball in the two innings. (SJC 100 & 95, SACK 357/7d). This was their first win in a 2-day encounter.
Much was expected from Anderson in the following year, in 1918, when he broke numerous batting records that included 1000 runs in a single month, five consecutive centuries and a monumental innings of 291 against S Thomas ML. Unfortunately, in a close 49-run defeat, Jack was dismissed for 22 and 5 in the two innings against the Joes, which was the only failure during this memorable year of 1918. D. Pompeus (56n.o) and R.A de Silva (59) took the batting honours for SJC and SACK respectively. In the bowling department, L Jayawardena (3/59 & 4/37) and Robert Wright (4/44 & 3/34) contributed usefully for the two sides. (SJC 140 & 147, SACK 146 & 92).
The two sides fought out an exciting encounter in 1919 at Bogambara with Joes coming out victorious by 3 wickets. RA de Silva (54) for SACK and AF Peries (53) for SJC scored the only half-centuries in the game. (SACK 127 & 123, SJC 170 & 81/7)
1920s
During the period between 1920 and 1950, the Joes were simply irresistible. They won 20 games to 3 during this period, and it gets more convincing to note that the Joes remained unbeaten between 1931 to 1955, winning 14 games.
Dismal batting performance by the Antonians handed the Joes a comfortable win by 144 runs at Bogambara in 1920. The top score for the home side in either innings was a meagre 13 by P.Chelliah as C Ponniah (7/30 & 2/20) and L Rajapakse (2/10 & 4/19) ran through the batting. G Herman (3/31 & 4/39) and LV Jayaweera (4/33 & 5/45) bowled their hearts out in a losing cause. (SJC 100 & 161, SACK 61 & 56)
A 10-wicket haul from L Jayawardena (7/51 & 3/61) helped Joes to a 37-run win in 1921 in Colombo, despite trailing by 29 runs in the first innings. (SJC 77 & 211, SACK 106 & 145)
In 1922, the Antonians snapped a run of four straight defeats with a dramatic three-run victory over the Joes at Bogambara. A superb second-innings spell by George Macky, who claimed 5 for 23, including the final wicket, sealed the memorable win. (SACK 130 & 152; SJC 134 & 145)
Joes secured a comfortable win in 1923 at Campbell Park, by an innings and 209 runs. In the Antonian first innings total of 47, seven batsmen were dismissed for ‘ducks’ with only P Amerasinghe (18) reaching double figures. H.E Wittachchy (95) top scored for the hosts, with C VanderStraten (5/15 & 2/16) bowling best. (SACK 47 & 62; SJC 318/8d)
Skipper Abeyasekera’s commanding 122, supported by a fine 68 from Mayo, powered the Josephians to a comfortable 171-run win in 1924. (SJC 108 & 244/5d; SACK 120 & 61). The following year, 1925, produced a much closer contest, though the outcome remained unchanged, with the Joes prevailing by 54 runs. T. H. Kelaart top-scored with 55, while skipper Halackone led from the front with a fine bowling performance of 5 for 32. For the Antonians, GRS Baie was the standout in the second innings, claiming 5 for 28. (SJC 157 & 105; SACK 94 & 114). In 1926, however, the pendulum swung decisively the other way when an Antonian side led by GRS Baie thrashed the Joes by an innings and 43 runs at Bogambara. In that match, the visitors were bundled out for a mere 23 in the second innings—the lowest total recorded by either side in the series. V. Henley (3/7) and skipper Baie (4/10) were the chief architects of the collapse. (SJC 60 and 23, SACK 136)
Joes then embarked on another remarkable winning streak, registering three consecutive victories. It began with a convincing nine-wicket win in Colombo in 1927. Samaraweera (5/18) and Pereira dominated with the ball for the Joes, while V. Henley (56) offered stout resistance in the visitors’ second innings. (SACK 72 & 149; SJC 181 & 41/1) The following year, the Joes extended their dominance with a seven-wicket victory at Bogambara in 1928. KC Visvanathan (6/25) ripped through the opposition in the first innings, while C. M. Fernando (4/11) was devastating in the second, claiming a hat-trick by dismissing Henley, Bolling and Ratnapala with successive deliveries. Rodrigo led the Joes’ batting with scores of 51 and 34, while H. K. Omar fought hard for the home side with 54 and 25. (SACK 160 & 82; SJC 159 & 83/3).
KC Visvanathan (6/15) was once again the chief tormentor in 1929 at Darley Road, to put the Antonians on the back foot in the first innings. The visitors were eventually crushed by an innings and 147 runs, with K. de Silva (5/18) completing the rout in the second innings. The Joes’ commanding total was built around half-centuries from R. Fernando, Devanayagam and Abeysekera. (SACK 100 & 52; SJC 299).
1930s
Antonians, led by D. H. Weerasinghe, displayed grit and resilience to edge out a formidable Josephian side by 1-run at Bogambara in 1930. In a low-scoring contest, Visvanathan (7/31) for St Joseph’s and Gautamadasa (6/27) for SACK delivered outstanding bowling performances in the second innings. (SACK 59 and 108, SJC 72 and 94). During the early thirties, it often became a battle for supremacy between the two outstanding Jayasunderas, Harry from SACK and the speed merchant, DS from SJC.
Antonians took the honours in the drawn game in 1931, thanks to Harry Jayasundera’s fine 71 in the first innings and an unbeaten 66 by Theodore de Silva in the second. (SACK 219 & 145/2; SJC 175). In 1932, D. Jayasundera and Pathmanathan bowled St Joseph’s to a narrow 33-run victory in another low-scoring encounter at Bogambara, despite the Joes managing only 99 in their first innings. (SJC 99 & 133; SACK 96 & 103). The 1933 encountered in Colombo ended in a draw, but not before the Antonians took a 59-run first innings lead, built around a resolute half-century from skipper Theodore de Silva (61). (SACK 224 & 65/1d; SJC 165 & 89/2)
Joes were convincing winners in 1934 by a margin of an innings and 16 runs despite a fine all-round effort from J. Peries, who scored 36 and captured 5/44. N.Spittel and Wijesinghe led the bowling attack superbly for the Joes, while K. de Silva top-scored with a well-made 55. (SACK 95 & 54; SJC 165).
After the game was not played in 1935, Joes went on to win four games in a row between 1936 and 1939 despite the Antonians putting up a good fight in a couple of the games. The 1936 encounter was a one-sided affair though, as the Colombo boys condemned the Antonians to a comprehensive defeat, by an innings and 149 runs at Bogambara. A Powell (65), Outschoorn (79) and N.Spittel (58) scored freely to set up a huge first innings total and then Spittel showing his all-round prowess captured a match bag of 9/18 (4/09 and 5/09) to seal the fate on the hosts. (SACK 114 and 85, SJC 348/9d)
The two teams played out another thrilling game in 1938 where the outcome was decided off the last ball of the day when the Antonian batting collapsed in a heap. Josephian D Ranasinghe bowled outstandingly well to capture 13/100 (6/77 and 7/23) to take his team home. For the Antonians, the highlights were the contributions from Ralph Harris (60) and F.P Rode (5/30).
The 1939 encounter was also a hard-fought affair, with the Joes winning by 4 wickets. Perera (53, 4/29) and Spittel (5/34) played crucial roles in the win. (SACK 113 and 148, SJC 151 and 111/6).
1940s
The Antonians continued their improvement with another fine performance in 1940. Chasing 223 to win, the Kandy boys were 173/7 when stumps were drawn. B Samarasinghe (56) and V Joseph (35) batted bravely in the run chase. Fine bowling by Eric Mendis (8/20) restricted the Antonians to 79 in the first innings which effectively quelled their momentum after they managed to dismiss the strong Joes outfit for 126 on the first day. (SJC 126 and 176, SACK 79 and 176/7)
In 1941 at Darley Rd, the home side smashed the Antonian bowling to the tune of 504/8 in a day, which broke the previous record total by the Joes that realised 478 against Ananda in 1930. Makkim Salih (122) and H Muller (123) rattled up centuries and F Dalpathado (53), T Mathysz (59) and Victor Perera (52) also joined the run-spree. The hosts went on to win by an innings and 243 runs, with A.B Weerakoon (59) providing the only resistance for the visitors. (SJC 504/8d, SACK 168 and 93)
The two sides next met at Katugastota in 1943 after the previous year’s game was not played. Two scores of 90s were the feature of this encounter which the Joes won comfortably by 8 wickets. Skipper Fairlie Dalpathado (94) for SJC and George Alston (37 & 92n.o) for SACK were unlucky to miss their respective centuries. Dalpathado (2/46 & 5/57) was also amongst the wickets. (SACK 210 and 172; SJC 344 & 42/2)
Despite conceding a first innings lead of 44 runs, the Joes managed to come back from behind and chase down 174 to win by six wickets in 1944 at Mount Mary. After D Wickremasinghe (5/27) and M de Costa (5/28) kept the visitors in check in each innings, half-centuries from F. Mathysz (59) and C de Mel (51) took the Joes home. D Wijesinghe (5/25) bowled best for the Antonians in the first innings. (SACK 136 & 123: SJC 92 & 174/4)
In 1945, the Antonian last wicket pair held on to secure a draw at Katugastota. Half-centuries from H Bagot, Sinnathamby and C de Mel along with D Wickremasinghe (4/15 & 3/15) performed well for the Joes. (SJC 327/7d, SACK 130 & 108/9)
H. Bagot (37 & 74*) was once again among the runs in 1946, steering his side to a comfortable 142-run victory at the Railway Grounds in Mount Mary. The chief architect with the ball was N. Pereira, who claimed a superb 10-wicket haul (5/66 & 5/23). T. Sinnathamby also chipped in with a valuable half-century, scoring 71. For the Antonians, skipper Hugh Fernando (54 & 27) fought a largely lone battle in both innings. (SJC 259 & 120/5d, SACK 174 & 63)
In 1947, Joes showed their superiority with another comfortable win, by eight wickets at Katugastota. (SACK 129 & 108: SJC 196 & 44/2)
It was another year and yet another gripping contest when the two teams locked horns at Darley Road in 1948. When stumps were drawn, the Josephians were left agonisingly short of victory, finishing on 120 for 7 while chasing 123 for an outright win. Contemporary reports noted that play was halted before the final over could be completed, following a contentious umpiring decision that added to the drama and debate surrounding the finish. (SACK 160 & 157; SJC 195 & 120/7)
Joes recorded their sixth victory of the 1940s, crushing the hosts by an innings and 107 runs at Katugastota in 1949. Billy Balthazar (76) and James Perera (77) dominated the Antonian bowling, while I. Bagot starred with the ball, returning figures of 3/21 and 4/31. For the hosts, Maurice Barsenback provided the lone resistance with 51 in the second innings. Incidentally, Billy’s sons, Shane and Kevin, later represented SACK in the 1970s (SJC 290, SACK 81 & 102)
1950s
The match at Darley Road in 1950 ended in a draw, despite the Joes’ clear dominance. Ken Serpanchy’s 90 and Roy Perera’s 61 laid the foundation for the hosts’ imposing total of 310, while skipper Stanley Jayasinghe’s 74 was the lone half-century for the Antonians. Falling just six runs short of avoiding the follow-on, the visitors sportingly chose to bat again on a rain-soaked matting wicket, but deteriorating light forced an early close. (SJC 310; SACK 204 & 31/4)
The 1951 encounter, played on a makeshift turf wicket at Katugastota, belonged emphatically to Josephian paceman Ken Serpanchy, who produced a devastating spell of 8 for 18 — the best individual bowling performance in the 111-match series between the two schools. Joes went on to secure an innings victory after piling up 297 in reply to SACK’s totals of 48 and 198. (SACK 48 and 198, SJC 297). The Antonians suffered a similar fate the following year in 1952 at Darley Road, going down by an innings and 90 runs. The highlight was a mammoth Josephian total of 452 scored in just 250 minutes, featuring five half-centuries: W. Wimalaratne (92), skipper Ken Serpanchy (75), Milroy Brohier (55), Roy Perera (66) and Chrysantha Fernando (75). After being dismissed off the first ball of the first innings, A. C. M. Lafir redeemed himself with a splendid 99 in the second. Together with B. Weerakoon (53), he offered stout resistance, though ultimately in vain. (SJC 452; SACK 143 & 219)
Lafir (65*) once again led the scoring for the Antonians when the sides met at Katugastota in 1953, his unbeaten knock enabling the home team to salvage a creditable draw. Interestingly, the scores were identical in the first innings, scoring 148 apiece. (SACK 148 and 160/5d, SJC 148 and 98/5)
A year later, when the Antonians travelled to Colombo in 1954, Darley Road entered cricketing folklore courtesy of Tom Deen’s colossal hitting, highlighted by a towering six that cleared the Bonjean Tower. The match itself was rich in drama, as the Antonian last-wicket pair batted for more than 20 tense minutes to deny the host’s victory. (SJC 199 & 155, SACK 221 & 110/9).
The 1955 encounter at Katugastota delivered another thrilling spectacle as the Joes attempted to chase 247 runs in just 150 minutes but fell agonizingly short by 13 runs. ACM Lafir (4/45) was instrumental in keeping the Joes in check, while K. Caldera’s unbeaten century (100*) stood out for the visitors. For the Antonians, Ranjith Dorenagama starred with twin half-centuries (56 & 58). Malcolm Francke shone with the ball for the Joes, claiming figures of 6/75 and 2/75. (SACK 181 and 255/9, SJC 189 and 234/6).
Antonians registered their first win against the Joes since 1930, when W Premaratne’s side won by three wickets at Darley Rd in 1956. The standout performance came from Adrian Berenger, whose 11-wicket haul (5/28 & 6/66) proved decisive in securing this memorable win. Joes were shot out for 51 in the first innings, their lowest total since being dismissed for 23 in 1926. After his twin fifties the previous year, Dorenagama (33 & 47) once again led the batting effort for the visitors. For the home side, P. Liyanage (3/45 & 5/38) delivered a spirited performance, but it was not enough to prevent defeat. (SJC 51 & 221, SACK 149 & 124/7).
Skipper Ranjith Dorenagama finally notched an elusive century, remaining unbeaten on 113 at Katugastota in 1957—the first Antonian century against SJC since Jack Anderson’s legendary 184 in 1917. After scores of 56, 58, 33, and 47 in the previous two years, and 52 in the first innings, Dorenagama broke through in the second innings to achieve the milestone. SW Seneviratne (42 & 84) provided valuable support to his skipper. For the visitors, Z Mohammed top-scored with 76, while off-spinner Charlie Joseph (5/28) baffled the Joes’ batters with his guile. (SACK 146 and 284/8d, SJC 184 and 131/4)
Antonians escaped defeat narrowly in 1958 at Darley Road when the Joes fell short by a mere 3 runs, chasing 48 in 20 mins. (SACK 121 and 176, SJC 250/7 and 45/2). In 1959, a dominant Joes side secured an easy innings victory at Katugastota. Raja de Silva (88 and 5/31) spearheaded the win with an outstanding all-round performance. He received strong support from Claude Perera (78) and Tissa de Soysa (81). Charlie Joseph (5/77) was the best of the Antonian bowlers. (SACK 204 and 94, SJC 330)
1960s
The 1960 game at Darley Road was anything but dull. When stumps were drawn, the Antonians were just one wicket away from victory, while the Josephians needed a mere seven runs. Chasing a modest target of 88, the Joes appeared well placed at 50 for one, only to slump dramatically, losing eight wickets for 30 runs. In a low-scoring contest, Antonian skipper Charlie Joseph stood head and shoulders above the rest, his brilliant 74 shining like a beacon. (SACK 134 and 88, SJC 135 and 80/9).
Unfortunately, the 1961 match was cancelled in protest against the “take-over” of SACK. In 1962 at Darley Road, the Antonians narrowly avoided defeat while chasing 178 in just 100 minutes, reaching 116 for 8 when stumps were drawn. (SJC 155 & 144/6, SACK 122 & 116/8). Joes won by six wickets in 1963 at Katugastota.(SACK 90 & 144, SJC 105 & 131/4) and by an innings in 1964 at Darley Road (SACK 89 & 112; SJC 240/3d).
In 1965, Joes forced Antonians to settle for a draw at Katugastota despite conceding a first-innings lead of 92 runs. Asoka Ratnaweera (5/52 & 3/10) bowled best for the home side. (SACK 274 & 131/9d; SJC 182 & 89/5). Bright batting from both teams marked the opening day of the 1966 encounter at Darley Road, with 404 runs scored for the loss of 14 wickets in 325 minutes. However, resuming at 147/4 on the second day, the visitors collapsed to be bowled out for 205. Jayantha Undukumbure (51) was the top scorer for the Antonians. (SJC 257 & 167/5d, SACK 205 & 31/5)
Among the many thrilling encounters between the two teams, the matches played in 1960 and at Katugastota in 1967 stand out as two of the finest. The Ceylon Daily News of 24 February 1967 aptly headlined its report, “Time Cheats Antonians.” When play was called off in the 1967 contest, both sides still had a genuine chance of victory. The Josephian last-wicket pair was at the crease, needing a further 16 runs, having been set a target of 102 in 75 minutes. (SACK 164 and 69, SJC 132 and 86/9).
The following year, in 1968, witnessed a splendid display of sportsmanship at Darley Road, when Antonian skipper Randy Simms received a resounding ovation from the Josephian team led by Lalith de S. Wijeratne, as well as the spectators, for his determined effort to save the match. Unfortunately, Simms’ gritty innings of 36 out of a modest total of 74 was not enough to prevent the Josephians from securing a comfortable nine-wicket victory. J. Selvaratnam (55) was the only batsman to score a half-century in the match, while Manik de S. Wijeratne claimed an 8-wicket bag (4/44 and 4/29) (SACK 169 and 74, SJC 223/8 and 22/1)
The 1969 game between the two sides at Katugastota was marked by a brilliant unbeaten innings of 134 by Meri Guneratne which helped the home side to force a draw after being asked to follow-on. This was only the third century scored by an Antonian against SJC in over 60 years. Meri and his skipper Randy Sims (59) put on an unbeaten 97-run stand to take the hosts to safety. Josephian paceman Hakel captured 8 wickets for the match and Lalith de S Wijeratne (117*) ensured the visitors reached a formidable total. He was associated in an unbroken 8th wicket stand of 93 runs with his younger brother, Manik de S Wijeratne (38*). (SJC 319/7d, SACK 171 & 245/4)
1970s
The Antonians were bundled out for a paltry 40 at Darley Road in 1970, handing the Josephians an easy innings victory. (SACK 40 & 138; SJC 238/8d). The following year’s encounter at Katugastota in 1971 was curtailed by rain, limiting play to just one and a half innings, with Shantilal de Silva’s 4/57 the only performance of note. In 1972, the Antonians suffered another defeat, this time by seven wickets, after a commanding opening stand of 164 by Josephian skipper Rohan Fernando (76) and R. Martin (111). Antonian captain Jayantha Monnekulame battled hard with the ball, returning figures of 7/74 in a losing cause. Gary Melder was the pick of the Josephian bowlers with 2/28 and 4/09. (SACK 133 & 139; SJC 247). The 1973 match at Katugastota ended in a draw, highlighted by twin half-centuries from Antonian skipper Premalal de Silva (74 and 56*) and an unbeaten 86 from Suresh Gunathileke.
Another gripping contest followed at Darley Road in 1974. Chasing 111 in the final hour, the unbeaten eighth-wicket pair of Malcolm McKelvie (27*) and Rohan Wijesinghe steered the hosts to victory with two overs and three wickets to spare. The match was marred by the rare dismissal of ‘hitting the ball twice’, suffered by Bernard Perera of SACK. Hiran Jayasundera bowled impressively for the Antonians with match figures of 6/50 and 2/27, while Ranjan de Silva topped the scoring with 41 and then produced a decisive spell of 4/11 in the second innings to restrict the Antonians to 109. (SACK 123 & 109; SJC 122 & 113/7). The 1975 encounter at Katugastota petered out into a tame draw, with Bede Perera top-scoring for the home side with 56. (SJC 235 & 155/4d, SACK 237 & 63/3)
In 1976, Josephian vice-captain Trevor Croner famously sacrificed his wicket in the final over of the match, enabling Zareen Hameed to complete a 10-wicket haul and thereby qualify for the coveted “Eagle” award—bestowed on Antonians for outstanding sporting achievement. Croner’s selfless act was a further testament to the spirit of friendly rivalry that has long defined encounters between the two schools. The following year, when Croner returned to Katugastota as Josephian captain, the Rector of St Anthony’s College invited the visiting team to a special assembly at which their skipper was felicitated for his exemplary sportsmanship.
The drawn encounter at Katugastota in 1977 saw notable performances from both sides. For the Antonians, David Ginger claimed match figures of 7/90 (4/45 & 3/45), while Thaiyar Mohamed returned 6/70 (3/25 & 3/45), and Russel de la Motte compiled a fine 72. The visitors were well served by half-centuries from S. de S. Wijeratne (57), A. Martin (51), Trevor Croner (66) and Laxman Aloysius (53*) (SJC 189 & 226/7, SACK 212/9d). Another draw followed in 1978 at Darley Road. R. Perera (64) and Anil Fonseka (56) laid a solid foundation for the Joes in the first innings, while Rienzie Martinez (54) top-scored for the visitors. In the second innings, Michael de Silva batted with assurance, contributing 54 for the home side. (SJC 190/9d & 168, SACK 129)
1980s
The Josephians recorded a seven-wicket victory in the 1980 encounter at Darley Road under the leadership of Rohan Wijesinghe Jnr, following two sensational batting collapses by SACK. After cruising to 136 for 1 in the first innings, the Antonians lost nine wickets for just 46 runs, before being bundled out for 79 in the second innings. In all, they lost their last 19 wickets for 116 runs. Anil Fonseka (89) anchored the Josephian batting in the first innings, while Prasanna Gunathileke (72) was the top scorer for the Antonians. (SACK 182 & 79; SJC 180/7d & 84/3)
In 1981, Pradeep Fernando nearly carried SACK to an outright victory at Katugastota with a superb second-innings spell of 7 for 47. His efforts were thwarted by a stubborn last-wicket stand of 37 runs between Sanath Jayanetti and R. Sabanayagam. Set a target of 164 in a limited chase of 40 minutes plus 20 overs, SACK closed on 110 for 2, with Marlon von Hagt scoring a fluent 58, following his solid 47 in the first innings. (SJC 261/8d & 153, SACK 251/9d & 110/2)
The 1982 fixture at Darley Road ended in a draw, highlighted by a commanding 134 from Ashley de Silva for the Josephians. Marlon von Hagt (58) was once again among the runs, steering the Antonians to safety. (SACK 177 & 186/8; SJC 267/9d)
In 1983, during the drawn game at Katugastota, a 15-year-old Rienzie Perera stunned the Josephians with outstanding figures of 6 for 26 from 17 overs. Despite his heroics, Antonian skipper Marlon von Hagt dominated the match with scores of 81 and 99, accounting for nearly 60 per cent of his team’s total across modest innings of 106 and 200. (SACK 106 & 200; SJC 109/9d & 50/3). After three consecutive years of nail-biting contests, Jeevaka Candappa’s Josephians registered a comfortable innings victory in 1984 at Darley Road. Pace bowlers Rukshan Soza (4/27) and Suresh Mirando (5/38) ripped through the Antonian batting to dismiss them for just 80, before Gihan Mallawarachchi (84) laid a solid foundation for the Josephian total.
Half-centuries from Damien Nadaraja (61) and S. Dorenegama (74) enabled the Antonians to secure first-innings honours in the 1985 encounter at Katugastota. (SJC 245/8d & 133/8; SACK 283). The Antonians repeated the feat in 1986 when the sides met at Darley Road, with Ruwan Kalpage’s unbeaten 55 anchoring the visitors’ innings and giving them a first-innings lead. Trailing by 38 runs, the Joes were 61/7 in their second innings when stumps were drawn, with Antonian skipper Rienzie Perera (3/19) leading the bowling effort. (SJC 221/8d & 61/7; SACK 250/7d). The 1987 match at Katugastota ended in a draw after Zamique Muthalib top-scored for the Antonians with a fluent 80. Despite conceding a first-innings lead of 44, the hosts appeared comfortably placed at 135/3 in the second innings before a dramatic collapse of 6 for 19 left them tottering at 154/9 at close of play. (SACK 223/8d & 154/9; SJC 267).
Bad weather played a major role in the 1988 fixture at Darley Road, though the Antonians managed to edge out a narrow first-innings advantage. (SJC 202/9d; SACK 205/8). In 1989, also at Darley Road, a defiant last-wicket stand of 34 between Shanaka Herath (34) and Asela Herath (12) enabled the Antonians to avoid the follow-on, lifting the score from 75/9 to 109 all out in reply to the Joes’ first-innings total of 195. R. Gunawardena (5/31) was the chief destroyer. Sumedha Arawwawala then struck a resolute 52 in the second innings to frustrate the home side. (SJC 195 & 126/7d; SACK 109 & 136/3)
1990s
The 1990 encounter at Darley Road ended in a draw, largely due to determined second-innings batting by the Antonians, led by Sapumal Herathge (55) and Jeremy Speldewinde (48*). After being dismissed for just 82 in the first innings, the Antonian spin pair of Piyal Wijetunge (5/49) and M. Muralitharan (4/50) kept the Joes to a modest lead of 83. Nigel Isaacs top-scored for the home side with 55 (SACK 82 & 223/8; SJC 165).
In 1991, under the captaincy of Nuwan Kalpage, the Antonians recorded their first victory since 1956, ending a 35-year wait. Although both Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas featured in the contest, it was the spin wizard who dominated proceedings, claiming a match haul of 12 for 97 (6/33 and 6/64) as SACK cruised to an emphatic 10-wicket win at Katugastota. The match concluded in spectacular fashion, with the hosts racing to the modest target of 62 in just 5.5 overs. Opener Sapumal Herathge went on the rampage, blasting an unbeaten 43 off only 14 deliveries, dismantling the Josephian new-ball pair of Vaas and Harsha de Silva. Earlier, Umesh de Alwais (52) and Daminda Kolugolla (76*) were the mainstays of the Antonian first innings. (SJC 128 & 175; SACK 243/9d & 62/0).
In the drawn encounter the following year at Darley Road in 1992, Chaminda Vaas reached a personal milestone, capturing his 50th wicket of the season with figures of 4/57. Josephian skipper Sudantha Fernando struck half-centuries in both innings, while wicket-keeper Amedha Ellepola (66) played a vital role in holding the Antonian batting together. (SJC 178 & 192/8; SACK 175).
Nilantha Sirisena (135 for SACK) and Previn Fernando (133 for SJC) struck centuries in a high-scoring draw at Katugastota in 1993, with both sides declaring in a run-filled encounter. (SJC 266/5d & 102/0; SACK 321/7d).
Another stalemate followed in 1998, when skipper Mahesh Palihakkara (112) became the first Antonian to score a century at Darley Road. Remarkably, this remained the only hundred by an Antonian at the venue until Thisara Ekanayake’s unbeaten 101 in 2024.
2000s
In 2000, the Antonians were rescued from a certain defeat by an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 142 between Prasad Ranawake and Samson Burke. Asked to follow on with a deficit of 136, the pair came together at 98/4 and batted through to save the match. The following year, in 2001, at Katugastota produced another absorbing draw, with the Antonians finishing on 151/8 while chasing 189 in 43 overs. Nuwan Ratnayake top scored for the hosts in both innings with 45 and 42, while Anouk Wijeratne was the pick of the Josephian bowlers with figures of 3/34 and 5/62. (SJC 228/6d & 108/5d; SACK 148 & 151/8).
Two fighting knocks of 81 and 41 by Nipun Ratnayake enabled the Antonians to force a draw in the 2002 encounter at Darley Road. Ranesh Perera starred with the ball for the Joes, returning match figures of 4/49 and 3/46. (SJC 287; SACK 150 & 132/7).
The 2003 match at Katugastota saw the Antonians post their highest total in the series, piling up 468 in just 112 overs. A commanding 116 from Tyrone de Silva led the charge, with Mohamed Rizlan (97), Mohamed Ruzly (50) and P. Ekanayake (53) also registering half-centuries. This remains a ground record at Katugastota against all opposition. For the Joes, Angelo Mathews top scored with an unbeaten 76. (SJC 318/8d; SACK 468). A tame draw followed in 2004 at Darley Road. (SACK 212 & 68/4; SJC 228/7d).
Centuries by Dimuth Karunaratne (103) and Roshen Silva (117*) highlighted the 2006 encounter at Katugastota, which again ended in a draw. Gimhan Dissanayake top scored for the hosts with 51, while R. Weerasinghe impressed with the ball for the visitors, claiming 5/60. (SJC 267/7d & 335/8; SACK 211).
MURALI-VAAS TROPHY
The inaugural Murali-Vaas trophy coincided with the 95th encounter between the two schools on 23rd and 24th February 2007 at Katugastota, under the captaincy of Selwyn Jamion (SACK) and Rajeeva Weerasinghe(SJC). The game ended entertainingly thanks to a quick century (110 in 81 balls with 21 fours, 1 six) by Antonian Gimhan Dissanayake, helping his side to a fighting draw. In the Josephian innings, Angelo Mathews scored a polished 110. (SACK 122 & 340/8, SJC 242/4d). It is noteworthy to mention that four ‘future internationals” represented St Joseph’s in this game, namely Mathews, the current Test skipper Dimuth Karunaratne, Thisara Perera and Roshen Silva.
2008 and beyond – Post Murali-Vaas Trophy
Interestingly, the introduction of the Murali–Vaas Trophy in 2007 not only added prestige to the contest but also produced decisive outcomes. Remarkably, it took just a year for the jinx of 18 consecutive draws to be broken, with the Joes finally recording a victory in 2008.
A superb all-round performance by Josephian skipper Sameera Weerasinghe, who claimed match figures of 11/109 (7/51 and 4/58) and scored an unbeaten 118, dominated the drawn encounter at Katugastota in 2009. Resuming at 107/6 overnight, St Joseph’s were lifted to 282 thanks to a vital partnership between Sameera and Chaturanga Kumara (54), in reply to the home side’s 166. For the Antonians, Hiran Wickremasekera (60) and Malindu Perera (73*) were the mainstays in the first and second innings respectively, while skipper Sahan Palihakkara returned the best bowling figures for the hosts with 5/72. (SACK 166 & 151/8; SJC 282).
In the drawn encounter at Darley Road in 2010, the Antonians claimed the honours, thanks largely to a fine innings of 80 by Hiran Wickremasekera and two outstanding individual bowling performances, Aravinda Premaratne’s 6/45 in the first innings and Adil Reyal’s 6/64 in the second. For the home side, Chaturanga Kumara once again held the batting together, following up his half-century the previous season with a resolute century (133). (SJC 292 & 133; SACK 305/8d & 43/2).
Strong individual performances highlighted the drawn game at Katugastota in 2011. Anthonian skipper Hiran Wickremasekera led from the front with a fine century (105) and four catches, while Aravinda Premaratne impressed with the ball (2/24 and 5/66) and also contributed 36 runs. For the Josephians, Rosco Thatil claimed 7/47 and Sadeera Samarawickrema played a notable innings of 80. (SJC 134 & 201/7; SACK 224)
Rain intervened on the second day of the drawn match at Darley Road in 2012. Antonian skipper Kanishka Ranaraja (96) and Manoj Sarathchandra (61) guided the visitors to within just two runs of securing first-innings honours, after Sadeera Samarawickrema (93) and Priyamal Perera (58) had earlier helped the home side declare at 251 for 8. (SJC 251/8d & 50/2; SACK 249)
Joes recorded a remarkable eight-wicket victory at Darley Road in 2013 after the Antonians collapsed to a paltry 35 in their second innings—their lowest total ever against St Joseph’s, with six batsmen registering ducks. Moditha Weerasinghe (4/05) and Aravinda Akurugoda (4/01) were the chief destroyers in that innings, while Moditha’s five-wicket haul (5/29) in the first innings completed an outstanding match return of 9/33. After scores of 80 in 2011 and 93 in 2012, Sadeera Samarawickrema (46 & 18*) once again led the Joes’ batting. An outright result had seemed unlikely after the opening day, which began only at 1.35 pm, with the Antonians closing on 129/8. (SACK 137 & 35; SJC 143/9d & 32/2).
Antonian batting folded yet again at Darley Road in 2014, undone by meagre totals of 76 and 96 in their two innings to slump to another innings defeat. The home side shared the spoils with the ball through Malshan Rodrigo, Hashindra Perera, Fabian Fernando and Shammi Seneviratne, while Kalpa Ravihara’s resolute 72 stood out as the lone half-century of the match. For the Antonians, Nimesh Wanasinghe was the pick of the bowlers, returning figures of 4 for 38. (SACK 76 & 96; SJC 207/9d).
Right-arm leg-spinner Aravinda Akurugala returned match figures of 9 for 56 (3/18 and 6/38) to set up a commanding 10-wicket victory for the Josephians at Katugastota in 2015, to make it three in a row. The foundation was laid on the first day when the Joes piled up an imposing 271 for 7, highlighted by a magnificent century from Vimukthi Pieris, who blasted 141 off 146 deliveries, including 14 fours and three sixes. For the Antonians, skipper Buwenaka Wijethunga offered the strongest resistance, top-scoring in both innings with 53 and 35. (SJC 271/7d & 28/0; SACK 145 & 153).
Joes cruised to a comfortable eight-wicket win at Darley Road in 2016, their fourth victory in succession, thanks largely to Harin Cooray’s match-winning bowling figures of 4/15 and 4/46. Batting proved challenging for both sides, with only three players reaching the 40s — Antonians Theeksha Gunasinghe (44) and skipper Kanishka Uggalpaya (41), and Josephian Malshan Rodrigo (44). The sole five-wicket haul of the match came from Antonian Sandaruwan Dharmaratne, who finished with 6/88. (SACK 138 & 160; SJC 233 & 66/2).
Antonians came close to another win in 2017 at Katugastota under Mohammed Alfar, who played a stylish 60 in his team’s second-innings total of 128. This encounter was notable for outstanding bowling performances, with Sandaruwan Dharmaratne claiming 9/86 (5/39 & 4/47) for the home side, and Harin Cooray taking 10/86 (5/45 & 5/41) for the visitors. (SACK 176 & 128; SJC 127 & 122/8).
In 2018 at Darley Road, the two sides played out a high-scoring draw. For the Joes, Jehan Daniel (77), Nipun Sumanasinghe (63), and Dineth Jayakody (53) all notched half-centuries, while Antonians’ skipper Janidu Himsara (84) and Navodya Wijayakumar (56) made valuable contributions with the bat. (SJC 299/7d & 162/3; SACK 289)
Since the inauguration of the Murali-Vaas Trophy, the Antonians’ only victory came in 2019 under the captaincy of Theeksha Gunasinghe (see details above). After the Joes’ triumph in 2020 (details above), the fixture was not held in 2021 or 2022.
When the clash resumed in 2023 at Katugastota following the two-year hiatus, rain restricted play to just 84 overs across the two days, resulting in a draw. Induwara Galapitige (54) marked his maiden fifty for the hosts (SACK 177/7d; SJC 52/3). In 2024, the clash at Darley Road ended in a thrilling draw, thanks to a brilliant unbeaten century by Antonian captain Thisara Ekanayake (101). He shared an unbroken, match-saving sixth-wicket partnership of 139 runs with Induwara Galapitige (61). Earlier, Kaveesha Piyumal made his mark with a maiden first-innings half-century (54) and followed it up with a five-wicket haul (5/92). In the Joes’ innings, Senuja Wakunugoda (87) and Dinuk Serasinghe (41) combined for a crucial 125-run stand for the ninth wicket, securing valuable first-innings points. Abishek Jayaweera (57) also played a solid innings for the home side. (SACK 206 & 218/5d; SJC 290 & 0/0).
The two teams that played in the inaugural Murali-Vass Trophy
