Battle of the Maroons (Colombo)

Last updated
Battle of the Maroons (Colombo)
Countries Sri Lanka
Format Test and One-Day
First edition1925;100 years ago (1925)
Latest edition2025
Next edition2026
Number of teams
Most successful
  • Ananda College (12 titles)
  • Nalanda College (7 titles)
Website Battle of the Maroons
Cricket current event.svg95th Battle of the Maroons (Colombo)

The Battle of the Maroons (also called Big Match) is an annual cricket encounter played between Ananda College, Colombo and Nalanda College, Colombo. [1]

Contents

History

The encounter was first played in 1924 and the match is played as a three-day [2] encounter starting from this year 2025 (the 95th in the series - the match was not played in 1943, 1944, and 1945 due to World War II and in 1948) at Singhalese Sports Club grounds. Nalanda are the current holders of the Trophy having won it in 2022 under the leadership of Dineth Samaraweera. [3] [4] The first Battle of the Maroons was played in 1925 and Nalandians were led by B.S. Perera [5] while N M Perera led Anandians. Nalanda won the inaugural contest. [6] Sri Lanka's first Test cricket captain, the late Bandula Warnapura, was a proud product of Nalanda College, [7] [8] while Arjuna Ranatunga, who captained the Sri Lankans in the World Cup victory in 1996, was a product of Ananda College. [9] This year's 95th encounter ended in a draw. [10] Battle of the Maroons 48th one day encounter that was played this year was abandoned due to rain. [11] In 1951, Stanley Jayasinghe became the first Nalandian [12] to represent All Ceylon Cricket Team while still being a schoolboy playing against Pakistan in Pakistan [13]

Trophy

The match is contested for the Dr. N. M. Perera Memorial Trophy. [14] The one day 50 overs match is played for P de S Kularatne trophy. [15]

Results of the last Big Match in 2025

95th three-day match
28 March–2 April 25
Ananda College, Colombo
v
Nalanda College, Colombo
324/6 d (92.2 overs)
Dinada Athalage 131
Kenul de Zoysa 73
Punsara Rajakarauna 2/69
Osanda Pamuditha 2/80
325/6 d (88.4 overs)
Nadul Jayalath 111
Nemindu Akmeemana 43
Sadew Samarasinghe 40
Sharada Jayarathna 4/58
27/1 (7 overs)
Match drawn
SSC Grounds, Colombo
  • Nalanda won the toss and elected to field
48th limited overs match
16 March 2025
Ananda College, Colombo
249 for 9 (50 overs)
v
Nalanda College, Colombo
62/2 (12.2 overs)
Kenul de Zoysa 39
Nethula Edirimanne 34
Hasith Ratnayake 4/46
Sadew Samarasinghe 2/41
Lithum Wijekumara 29 n.o
Abandoned due to rain
SSC Grounds, Colombo
  • Nalanda won the toss and elected to field.

Notable people who have played in the Ananda Nalanda Big match

References

  1. ↑ "95th Battle of the Maroons Teams evenly balanced, close contest expected". dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  2. ↑ 95th Ananda-Nalanda Battle of the Maroons today Historic first-ever 3-day encounter
  3. ↑ "95th Ananda-Nalanda Battle of the Maroons today". The Morning. 28 February 2025. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  4. ↑ Nalanda College secures Dr. N.M. Perera Challenge Trophy after 69 years
  5. ↑ Ananda and Nalanda longing for outright win
  6. ↑ Dr. N.M. a cricket icon of Ananda
  7. ↑ Nalanda Vikings champs at Bandula Warnapura Memorial Trophy 2024
  8. ↑ Old Nalandians’ Sports Club to host inaugural Bandula Warnapura Memorial Lecture
  9. ↑ Ananda-Nalanda to battle it out at 93rd Battle of the Maroons
  10. ↑ Ananda-Nalanda 95th ‘Battle of the Maroons’ Annual Cricket Encounter Ends in a Draw
  11. ↑ Battle of the Maroons 48th one day encounter abandoned due to rain
  12. ↑ Stanley Jayasinghe honoured by ONSC
  13. ↑ Stanley Jayasinghe the nonagenarian: going strong
  14. ↑ Nalanda out to retain Dr. N.M. Perera Trophy
  15. ↑ Nalandians retain the P de S Kularatne Challenge Trophy as rain washout 2nd innings
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