90th ‘Battle of the Saints’ Powered by Dialog

In its steadfast dedication to nurturing future sporting stars and powering the champions of tomorrow, Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s premier connectivity provider, is once again fueling the 90th edition of the prestigious ‘Battle of the Saints’ between St. Joseph’s College and St. Peter’s College, two esteemed Catholic schools in Colombo. The much-anticipated match, vying for the Rev. Father Maurice J. Le Goc Trophy, will take place in all its grandeur at the SSC on March 22nd and 23rd, 2024.

As the primary sponsor, Dialog Axiata has made provisions to broadcast the Big Match and the Limited Overs match LIVE on Dialog Television – The Papare TV HD (Channel Number 126), as well as a livestream on ThePapare.com and the Dialog ViU App.

Renowned for its thrilling and competitive cricket, the ‘Battle of the Saints’ stands out as an annual two-day cricket encounter that strategically restricts the first innings to 60 overs each, intensifying interest and outcome orientation. In this year’s clash, the Darley Road squad will be led by fifth-year colorsman Lahiru Amarasekera, while the Bambalapitiya contingent will be under the captaincy of Sri Lanka Under-19 player Vishen Halambage.

With St. Joseph’s College leading the series with 12 victories, their last triumph led by Ruwantha Fernandopulle in 2008, and St. Peter’s College securing 10 wins, including the 2016 victory under Vinu Mohotty’s captaincy, the Rev. Father Maurice J. Legoc Trophy remains a coveted prize. Sixty-seven encounters have resulted in draws, adding to the historic rivalry’s allure.

In addition to the two-day battle, the eagerly awaited Josephian-Peterite limited-overs match, played for the ‘Fr. Peter A. Pillai Memorial Trophy,’ marks its 50th edition this year, becoming the first school rivalry to achieve this milestone since its inception in 1975. Scheduled for April 6th, 2024, at the SSC Grounds, Colombo, this match traditionally garners the highest attendance for a school’s 50-over cricket fixture.

St. Joseph’s currently leads the one-day encounter with 25 victories against St. Peter’s 21, with 2 matches concluding with no result and one game ending in a tie. Last year witnessed a closely contested match with the Darley Road boys clinching victory over their counterparts from Bambalapitiya.