The Antonians are in the lead with 11 wins in the 18 matches playes so far and Trinty have won 6 while the clash of 1993 ended without a result due to heavy rain after lunch. The Antonians hold the record for the highest total in the series when they notched up 276 forr 5 in 1993 and the lowest totals have been by Trinity scoring 72 in 1984 and 70 in 1993. Antonian Marlon Von Haght has scored two centuries 111 in 1981 and 139 in 1983. Ajaz Shafeek is the other centurian making 121 mot out in 1993.
* The 47th inter-school 'big match' between Sri Sumangala College, Panadura, and Moratu Maha Vidyalaya, for the Dr. Lakshman Perera Trophy will be played at the Panadura public esplanade on March 21 and 22. In the series, Sri Sumangala has won 13 times and Moratu Vidyalaya on eight time.
In the inter-school season, Sri Sumangala has played 12 matches losing only one and the remaining matches drawn. Amila Perera the skipper of the side in a fourth year coloursman. Of the 16 matches, played, Moratu Vidyalaya lost to Ananda Sastralaya, Kotte and the rest were all drawn. The team is led by three years coloursman Asitha Priyal Perera, a prolific run getter who has topped 460 runs this season. He is the keeper of the side.
* The 93rd Mahinda-Richmond annual cricket big match popularly known as the ``Lovers' Quarrel'' of Galle, will start at the Galle esplanade today. Mahinda who has displayed good cricketing prowess this season with two victories against St Servatius Matara (by an innings and 85 runs) and St Anne's, Kurunegala (by 29 runs) and 12 drawn games out of a total of 16 matches, are looking forward to a decision-oriented event.
Richmond despite seven freshers is determined to give a keen contest to their traditional rivals. They believe that the efficiency in fielding is the decisive factor of the match as they have to play on a batting friendly wicket. Out of the past 92 games, Mahinda has secured 21 victories, the last being in 1978 under captain G. W. Dulip de Silva while Richmond has recorded 20 wins, the last in 1969, under the captaincy of D. Sirisena.
* St. Benedict's are determined to put up an improved performance when they take on their arch rivals D. S. Senanayake MV in the 7th annual cricket encounter on March 20 and 21 at the R. Premadasa Stadium. The Benedictines suffered two heavy defeats at the hands of Prince of Wales College and Ananda College mid way in the season. But they bounced back into recognition by winning their last two matches quite convincingly.
They defeated Kingswood College Kandy by innings and 19 runs and St. Anne's College by innings and 65 runs. The return of all rounder Pradeep Hewage lifted their morale to a great extent and have now built up a side capable of performing under pressure. In fact Hewage is undoubtedly their key player having toured South Africa with the Sri Lanka under 19 team.
* Defending Sara trophy champions Bloomfield had their sponsorship by Hatton National Bank extended by another three years. The principal sponsors of the champion club presented a considerably enhanced sponsorship package to Bloomfield president Shelley Wickramasinghe The presentation was made by Hatton National Bank senior manager, media and public relations, Kelum Wijesuriya.
Club Cricket News
In reference to the article captioned 'CCC must beat Matara outright to enter semi-finals' appearing in our columns yesterday, Tamil Union president C.T.A. Schaffter writes with paricular reference to the protest made by Tamil Union that it is the view of his club that there had been a violation of Rule 8.5 (b), Part A of the Board's Rules and Conditions for division one cricket by the tournament committee.
The Rule as referred to reads: ``The host club shall be solely responsible for: (b) The handing over of the pitch selected for that match (Tamil Union v BRC) on time to the umpires. Failure in complying with this requirement shall result in the host club being penalised on match points, as per (5.2 (d)(iii) or 5.2 (e) of Part B''.
Mr. Schaafter writes: ``Records will indicate that the toss in the match referred to took place only at 12.30 p.m. and play commenced thereafter at 1 p.m. on the first day. Going by the laws quoted below which we presume apply to the conduct of the Board's premier domestic tournament as well, the pitch could not have been handed over to or accepted by the umpires at the official scheduled time, which would usually have been around 9.45 a.m. since play was not possible until 1 p.m.. Further, there was no rain or any other extraneous factor that could have justified the late start.
``Whilst we are mindful that the decision of the tournament committee is final and binding in respect of all disputes, we wish to clear our own position in regard to this protest which was based on the Laws of Cricket.
``We wish particularly to refer to the following:
Law 7 - The Pitch : Selection and Preparation - Before the toss for innings, the Executive of the ground shall be responsible for the selection and preparation of the pitch; thereafter, the umpires shall control its use and maintenance.
Law 10 - Mowings : (a) Responsibilities of ground authority and of umpires - All mowings which are carried out before the toss for innings shall be the responsibility of the ground authority. Thereafter, they shall be carried out under the supervison of the umpires.
Law 12 - Innings: 3. The Toss - The captains shall toss for the choice of innings on the field of play, not later than 15 minutes before the time scheduled for the match to start, or before the time agreed upon for play to start.
``These Laws of Cricket would clearly indicate that the umpires become responsible for the use and maintenance of the pitch in any given match, only after the starting time for play is determined and that their responsibility in this area is assumed immediately prior to the toss''.