The Joint Organising Committee (JOC) of this year's 120th Royal-Thomian cricket encounter were highly pleased and very appreciative of the manner in which the last big match was conducted - Commendable it was and had wide acceptance, in that there were no crowd invasions to interrupt play, nor any form of hooliganism or clowning to make erosions into valuable playing time. These were the views expressed by the members of the JOC at a media briefing held on Tuesday at the SSC in connection with the 1200th Battle of the Blues, which takes place on the 11th, 12th and 13th of March at the SSC grounds.
Spearheading the JOC as Chairman, Lyle Peiris, is keen on continuing in the same vein to maintain discipline and further enhance on what was achieved last year. Peiris emphasised that they will ensure that the venue of the game will be purged of any undesirable elements, in order that school boys and spectators could enjoy the cricket match amidst lots of clean fun and frolic. He stressed that they will not leave room for hooliganism, nor permit any form of disruption of play, and that the safety of schoolboys will be a high priority. It was gathered that the police and the military personnel will be deployed in uniform and in mufti, within and outside the playing areas, and that indiscipline and unruly behaviour from whatever quarter will be handled firmly. It has been the experience, that trouble makers are those who are not interested in the state of the game. They are those who want to draw attention by their stupid antics. The Chairman, match arrangements and security committees, Nimal Dias Jayasinghe said all the cheering, the waving of flags and shouting, will be mainly confined to within their respective tents, stands and enclosures. However he explained there will be gates, which will opened during the intervals, permitting revellers and schoolboys onto the playing area to do their bit and get back through them when play commenced. This is a much looked forward to occasion, a major event in the calendar of sports and it is our duty to provide a carnival atmosphere to see that everyone carries away happy memories added Jayasinghe.
In keeping with current trends, with the year 2000 in mind, there will be as a forerunner a structural addition, the millennium tent organised by Sunil Peiris. The chairman of the sponsorship committee Tryphon Mirando disclosed that the big match for the D.S. Senanayake shield is being sponsored by Seylan Bank and the limited overs game for the Mustangs Trophy by Singer. Others associated at the briefing were secretary JOC, Y. S. De Soysa, Chairman Media and Publicity G. D. V. Perera, Ajith Peiris and Ghefari Dulapandan. Tickets for both matches will be on sale from the 13th of February at the two colleges.