Seated (from left): Mahesh Nanayakkara, Co-Chair, Royal-Thomian Match Organising Committee, Asanka Perera, Sub-Warden, S. Thomas’ College, Navin Peiris, Vice-President - Enterprise Business and Large Enterprise Sales, Dialog Axiata PLC, M. A. M. Riyaz, Assistant Principal, Royal College, and Prasanna Fernando, Co-Chair, Royal-Thomian Match Organising Committee. Standing (from left): Royal-Thomian Match Organising Committee Members – Zulki Hamid, Anura Prashantha, Roshan Adams, Kumudu Warnakulasooriya and Aruna Shantha. Also in the picture are the young cricketers from the four benefitting schools and Thevindu Senaratane, Captain of Royal College, and Manisha Rupasinghe, Vice-Captain of S. Thomas’ College.
‘Play for a Cause’, the annual sustainability project of the ‘Battle of the Blues’, the annual cricket encounter between Royal College, Colombo, and S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, as tradition would gift cricket equipment to four deserving schools that are deficient in cricket equipment.
Giritalegama MV, Giritale, Sri Rathanajothi Vidyarathana Pirivena, Trincomalee, Menikdiwela Central College, Menikdiwela, and Harishchandra College, Negombo were selected as the worthy beneficiaries by the Royal-Thomian Cricket Joint Match Organising Committee under the aegis of the Principal of Royal College, B. A. Abeyrathna and Warden of S. Thomas’, College, Rev. Marc Billimoria.
In 2015, on the 136th edition of the Royal-Thomian, Dialog Axiata PLC rekindled a long and successful partnership with the Battle of the Blues and made a pledge to contribute Rs. 1,000 for every run scored and Rs. 10,000 for every wicket that fell during the match.
Last year’s encounter contributed Rs. 1,008,000 to the 'Play for a Cause' pledge. Since the inception of the ‘Play for a Cause’ pledge, inclusive of the 141st Battle of the Blues, 6,151,000 rupees worth of cricket gear was donated to 22 deserving schools. (AN)
