Dialog powers 141st Battle of the Blues

Amali Nanayakkara - Chief Marketing Officer, Dialog Axiata PLC handing over the sponsorship package to B. A. Abeyrathna - Principal Royal and Asanka Perera - Sub Warden, S. Thomas’. Also in the picture are Thevindu Senarathne - Captain Royal, Navin Peiris - Head of Broadband and Telecommunications, Dialog Axiata PLC and Thevin Eriyagama - Captain, S. Thomas’ 

By Amindha de Alwis

The Annual Inter-School Big Match between traditional rivals Royal College and S. Thomas’ College will be played for the 141st occasion when the two schools clash from March 12 to 14 at the SSC Grounds in Maitland Place. 

The Rt. Hon. D. S. Senanayake Memorial Shield, for which the Battle of the Blues fixture is contested for, currently resides at Mount Lavinia after Sithara Hapuhinna’s side pulled off a seven-wicket victory in last year’s encounter.

Thevindu Senarathne will Skipper the Royalists as they seek to bring the Shield back to Reid Avenue while the Thomians will be led by Thevin Eriyagama. Dialog Axiata is the principal sponsor for the 141st edition of the Royal-Thomian and has pledged to contribute Rs. 1,000 per run scored and Rs. 10,000 per wicket taken over the course of the three days. 
The proceeds collected through the ‘Play for a Cause’ pledge will be channeled to support four deserving schools after consultation with the Principal of Royal College and the Warden of 
S. Thomas’ College. 

In fact a total of Rs. 5,143,000 worth of cricket gear have been donated to 10 different schools since the ‘Play for a Cause’ pledge was initiated.