# Big Match

In Sri Lankan cricket, a Big Match is an annual school cricket match typically played between two rival schools in Sri Lanka. These schools often have a long history of competition, some rivalries lasting over a century. Big matches have become a significant part of modern Sri Lankan culture, involving both school children and adults.
The oldest known big match is the Royal–Thomian cricket encounter, played between S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia and Royal College, Colombo since 1879.
Most big matches are played over two days. However, three notable Big Matches–the Battle of the Blues (Colombo), the Battle of the Blues (Matara) and the Battle of the North–are played over three days.

## History

Annual Big matches are played between two rival school cricket teams in Sri Lanka. Most of these matches are held at the end of the first school term, typically in March. Big Matches are not only competitions between schools but also serve as gatherings for alumni, known as "old boys." Many of these encounters have been played for several years, many over 100 years old.
The Battle of the Blues (Colombo) is the oldest big match in Sri Lanka and has been played between Royal College, Colombo and S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia since 1879.
The Hill Capital Battle of the Maroons has been played between Dharmaraja College, Kandy, and Kingswood College, Kandy. It is the oldest cricket match series in the central province and the second oldest in Sri Lanka, having been played since 1893.
The Battle of the Blues (Matara) has been played between St. Thomas' College, Matara, and St. Servatius' College Matara since 1900.
Over the years, many other Big Matches have been established.

## List of Big Matches
### Current

The following is a list of Big Matches which are still held annually as of 2023.
| # | Series | Rival Schools | First Edition | Latest Edition | Last Played Location | $^{Refs.}$ |
| 1 | Battle of the Blues (Colombo) | Royal College, Colombo vs S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia | 1879 | 146th (2025) | Singhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground | |
| 2 | Hill Capital Battle of the Maroons | Dharmaraja College, Kandy vs Kingswood College, Kandy | 1893 | 118th (2025) | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium | |
| 3 | Battle of the Blues (Matara) | St. Thomas' College, Matara vs St. Servatius' College | 1900 | 125th (2025) | Uyanwatte Stadium | |
| 4 | Battle of the North | Jaffna Central College vs St. John's College | 1901 | 2023 | Jaffna Central College Grounds | |
| 5 | The Lovers' Quarrel | Richmond College, Galle v Mahinda College Galle | 1905 | 120th (2025) | Galle International Stadium | |
| 6 | Battle of the Blues (Kandy) | Trinity College, Kandy vs St. Anthony's College, Kandy | 1914 | 105th (2024) | Asgiriya Stadium and St. Anthony's College Cricket Stadium. | |
| 7 | Battle of the Golds (Jaffna) | Jaffna College, Jaffna vs St. Patrick's College, Jaffna | 1917 | 106th (2023) | Jaffna College Grounds | |
| 8 | Battle of Uva (Badulla) | Dharmadutha College, Badulla vs Uva College, Badulla | 1920 | 74th (2023) | Badulla Cricket Ground | [26] [27] |
| 9 | Battle of the Maroons (Colombo) | Ananda College Colombo vs Nalanda College, Colombo | 1924 | 93rd (2023) | Singhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground | |
| 10 | Battle of the Saints (Colombo) | St Peter's College, Colombo vs St. Joseph's College, Colombo | 1933 | 89th (2023) | Singhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground | |
| 11 | Battle of the Golds (Moratuwa) | Prince of Wales' College, Moratuwa vs St. Sebastian's College, Moratuwa | 1933 | 73rd (2023) | Tyronne Fernando Stadium | |
| 12 | Battle of the Golds (Panadura and Moratuwa) | Sri Sumangala College, Panadura vs Moratu Maha Vidyalaya | 1934 | 71st (2023) | Tyronne Fernando Stadium | |
| 13 | Battle of the Babes | St. Sylvester's College Kandy vs Vidyartha College Kandy | 1958 | 63rd (2023) | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium and Asgiriya Stadium | |
| 14 | Battle of the Rocks | Maliyadeva College Kurunegala vs St. Anne's College, Kurunegala | 1959 | 39th (2023) | Welagedara Stadium | |
| 15 | Battle of the Brothers (Colombo) | Thurstan College Colombo vs Isipathana College Colombo | 1964 | 60th (2023) | Singhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground, R. Premadasa Stadium and Thurstan Grounds | |
| 16 | Battle of the Blues (Ambalangoda) | Sri Devananda College Ambalangoda vs Dharmasoka College Ambalangoda | 1966 | 2023 | Ambalangda | |
| 17 | Battle of Kotte | Sri Jayawardenepura Maha Vidyalaya Kotte vs St. Thomas' College, Kotte | 1976 | 2023 | Colts Cricket Club Ground | |
| 18 | Battle of the Golds (Matale) | St. Thomas' College, Matale vs Government Science College | 1980 | 2023 | Police Ground in Kandy | |
| 19 | Battle of the Hindus | Hindu College Colombo vs Jaffna Hindu College | 1981 | 12th (2023) | P.Sara Oval | |
| 20 | Battle of Sri Jayawardanapura | St. John's College, Nugegoda vs Ananda Sastralaya, Kotte | 1990 | 2023 | P. Sara Oval | |
| 21 | Battle of Greens (Royal–St John's) (Battle Of Panadura) | Royal College Panadura v St. John's College Panadura | 1992 | 2023 | Panadura Sports Club | |
| 22 | Battle of Centralians | Piliyandala Central College vs Taxila Central College, Horana | 2001 | 22nd (2024) | Tyronne Fernando Stadium | |
| 23 | Battle of Blue and Gold | Nugawela Central College vs Walala A. Rathnayake College | 2004 | 19th (2024) | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium | |
| 24 | Battle of Greens (Wayamba) | Royal College Wayamba, Kurunegala vs Sir John Kotalawala College | 2005 | 2023 | Welagedara Stadium | |
| 25 | Battle of the Golds (Colombo) | D. S. Senanayake College vs Mahanama College | 2007 | 16th (2023) | P. Sara Oval and R. Premadasa Stadium | |
| 26 | Battle of the Rathran | Prasident's College Kotte vs Asoka College Colombo | 2008 | 16th (2024) | P. Sara Oval and R. Premadasa Stadium | |
| 27 | Battle of Golden Lions | Dharmapala Vidyalaya vs Rahula College | 2012 | 12th (2023) | Uyanwatte Stadium | |
| 28 | Battle of the Seagulls | St. Peter's College Negombo vs St.Sebastian's College Katuneriya | 2012 | 2023 | Katuneriya | |
| 29 | Battle of the Lords | Prince College Ratnapura vs St. Aloysius College, Ratnapura | 2018 | 3rd (2024) | Seevali Ground, Ratnapura | |
| 30 | Battle of the Blues and Maroons | Mahinda Rajapaksha College, Homagama vs Defense Services College, Colombo | 2018 | 3rd (2024) | Singhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground | |
| 31 |
| 32 | Battle of Ran Dam | Royal College Horana vs Siri Piyarathne Vidyalaya, Padukka | 2021 | 3rd (2023) | Poojitha Uduwana grounds Horana | |
| 33 | Rev. James Cartman Cup (Bens-Wesley) | Wesley College, Colombo vs St. Benedict's College, Colombo | 2021 | 3rd (2023) | P. Sara Oval | |
| 34 | Rev. Bro. Luke Gregory Shield (Bens-Wesley) | Wesley College v St. Benedicts College | 2022 | 2nd (2023) | Singhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground | |
| 35 | Battle of The Blazing Blues | Mahamaya Girls' College Kandy vs St. Anthony's Girls' College | 2023 | 1st (2023) | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium | |
| 36 | Battle of the Kingdoms | Royal Central College, Polonnaruwa vs Anuradhapura Central College | | (2023) | Polonnaruwa Central College Play Ground | |

### Former

The following is a list of Big Matches which are no longer held as of 2023.
| Series | Rival Schools | First Edition | Last Edition |
| Battle of the Centralions | Piliyandala Central College vs Wadduwa Central College | 1975 | 2000 |
| Battle of Dematagoda | St. John's College vs St. Mathew's College | 1976 | 2010s |
| Battle of the Golds (Kandy) | Sri Rahula College vs Sri Sumangala College | 1981 | 2010s |
| Battle of Kelaniya | Gurukula College vs Sri Dharmaloka College | 1988 | 2010s |
| Friends Battle | Vidyaloka College,Galle vs Meepawala Amarasuriya College,Meepawala,Galle | 1998 | 2012 |
| Battle of Two Cities (The F. R Alles Trophy) | Rahula College vs St. Aloysius' College | 2004 | 2011 |
| Battle of the Hindus | Jaffna Hindu College vs Kokuvil Hindu College | 2008 | 2010s |
| Battle of the Golds (Ruhuna) | Weeraketiya Rajapaksha Central College vs Dickwella Vijitha Central College | 2010 | 2010s |
| Battle of the Greens | Arethusa College vs T. B. Jayah Zahira College | 2012 | 2010s |
| Nikitha Grero Challenge Trophy | Lyceum International School vs Lyceum International School | 2015 | 2019 |