Accused of fielding ineligible player in prestige battle
- St Peter’s College, Bambalapitiya stands accused of using an ineligible player in their 43rd traditional limited over encounter with arch rivals St. Joseph’s College
- It is also learnt that this player had represented SPC in their under 19, First XI matches against Dharmarajah College and St. Sebastian’s College in January this year
- The newsletter further states that the school records confirm that he was enrolled in June 2016 and started school in September 2016 as a normal, fee paying Catholic student
by Nirmala Kannangara
Newsletter by the President, SPC OBU disclaiming the allegation and South Brisbane Club details about the player in question
A leading boys school has been accused of ditching fair play in favour of winning at any cost, destroying years of tradition in the process. St Peter’s College, Bambalapitiya stands accused of using an ineligible player in their 43rd traditional limited over encounter with arch rivals St. Joseph’s College on March 25 at SSC, which the former went on to win with the support of the player in question.
While the school itself has maintained silence on the issue, the many spokesmen who have ventured forth on its behalf have denied any wrongdoing, but the multitude of documentary evidence in our possession points to the contrary.
Allegations have been leveled against St. Peter’s College for allotting a new face who had completed secondary education in Australia into their Fist XI limited over cricket team. Although St. Peter’s College (SPC) claims that the player in question (name withheld) was admitted to the London A/L class in June 2016, evidence shows that he had completed his secondary education in a Grammar School in Australia in November 2016.
In such a background questions have been raised as to why this player got himself admitted to a school in Colombo to do his A/Ls whether it was done with an ulterior motive- to play for the school big match followed by the limited over encounter.
It is also learnt that this player had represented SPC in their under 19, First XI matches against Dharmarajah College and St. Sebastian’s College in January this year and a non-tournament match against Ananda College the same month.
When the question was raised whether this player is a student of SPC or whether he was ‘imported’ to play for the college at the annual Josephine- Preterite matches, President of the SPC Old Boys Union as well as the College Sports Coordinator had categorically denied the allegations leveled but had attempted to defend SPC and the player in question which was a failed attempt based on the documentary evidence which is in our possession.
SPCOBU news letter
According to a newsletter dated April 16, 2017, on St. Peter’s College Old Boys’ Union (SPCOBU) letterhead, President of the Old Boy’s Union, Romesh de Mel addressing fellow Peterites, has stated that the boy in question had completed Grade 11 at a Grammer School in Queensland; Australia which is equivalent to G.C.E Ordinary Level in Sri Lanka and had joined St. Peter’s to do his London A/Ls.
The newsletter further states that the school records confirm that he was enrolled in June 2016 and started school in September 2016 as a normal, fee paying Catholic student. Subsequently for personal reasons, with the approval of the school authorities, in November he has travelled to Australia for a few days and returned to St. Peters and had attended school and the First XI cricket practices and was duly registered with the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA) on the same day as the rest of the team.
Although De Mel had stated as thus, this player had completed year 12 which is equivalent to local A/L and has graduated from his school – Ipswich Grammer School Queensland after the final semester in November 2016.
According to SPC OBU President, this player had started schooling at SPC in September last year although the documents show that it was a misleading claim. This youngster had not started schooling at St. Peter’s College in September last year but had taken part in Queensland Premier Cricket for his club- the South Brisbane Cricket Club from September 10, 2016 to November 12, 2016. This player had played for South Brisbane in the Queensland Premier Cricket for the Alan Pettigrew Shield at the Bob Young Oval on Saturday September 10, 2016 and had scored 14 runs.
He had also played for his club for the same Queensland Premier Cricket Tournament for the Alan Pettigrew Shield at John Blank Oval on Saturday October 29, 2016 and had scored 45 runs. He had also scored nine runs for the same Shield at the match played at the Baxter Oval on Saturday November 12, 2016.
For the Norm McMahon Shield in the Queensland Premier Cricket, this boy had played for the South Brisbane Club in their matches held on Saturday October 1, 2016 at the Bob Young Oval and on Saturday October 15, 2016 at the Trevor Barsby Oval where he had scored 22 runs.
School administration must be honest
“In such a background, how can St. Peter’s College claim that this player started schooling from September last year. These details contradict Romesh de Mel’s statement that this player travelled to Australia for few days in November 2016. How can St. Peter’s bring up their students to be honourable and straight forward when the school administrators themselves are lying? How honourable they would have been if they accepted the allegations leveled against them like how the Royal Collage accepted that they field a player who was not registered with the SLSCA at the ongoing Under 19 Division I matches. When this was brought to light, Royal Collage officials had informed the SLSCA their negligence. Cricket is a gentleman’s game and it should be played with the gentleman’s spirit but not to win at any cost,” a member of the Josephian tutorial staff said on condition of anonymity.
According to the sources, although it is said that this is a registered player with the SLSCA, this registration is not mandatory to play for the school’s annual big match or for the limited over tournament. “We assume that this player’s name had been registered with the SLSCA as stated in the newsletter. Whether he had been registered with the SLSCA or not is not an issue with the SLSCA as it is not mandatory that the players who take part in their annual school big matches and limited over matches should register with the SLSCA. If St. Peter’s have already released statements with information which had now been proved incorrect, it is time for the relevant officials to check with the SLSCA whether this boy’s name had been registered as he had taken part in Under 19 First XI tournament matches,” sources added.
All attempts to contact President SPC OBU, Romesh de Mel for a comment failed as he did not respond to the calls. Although a message was sent to Hon. General Secretary SPC OBU, Algi Wijewickrema seeking his assistance to send across the text message to De Mel for a comment, until the paper went to press, De Mel did not respond to the message.
When contacted, Wijewickrema confirmed this newspaper that the message was forwarded to De Mel but the OBU President was not willing to give any statement as this is an internal issue.
Meanwhile an old boy of St. Peters College on condition of anonymity told this newspaper that it was not ethical for the college to ‘import’ a player without giving that chance to one of their own players. “We should accept victory and defeat alike. If our own boys were allowed to play sometimes we would have lost the 43rd limited over encounter but still it is better than getting a bad name to the college,” sources said.
However the sources accused St. Joseph’s College for taking up this as a major issue where as they deliberately failed to take action against their own Captain for slapping one of their fielders for dropping off a catch given by the player in question of the SPC team.
“Before pointing a finger at SPC for the alleged matter, we want to know as to why St. Joseph’s administrators did not take any action against their captain for slapping one of the fielder’s who dropped the catch of the Peterite player in question. According to ICC Code of Conduct this is a Level 4 offence. He should have been suspended at least for one year and colours have to be withdrawn. As this Captain is from an affluent family St. Joseph’s College had not taken any disciplinary action. Had any other less fortunate player was found guilty for such an offence, disciplinary action would have taken immediately,” sources added.
Refuting allegations levelled against St. Joseph’s College administrators for not taking any action against the Cricket Captain who had slapped one of the fielders for dropping a catch, Chairman of Cricket Advisory Committee of St. Joseph’s College, Terrance Fernando said that the College Rector made the captain to apologize to the fielder in front of the cricket team.
“The Rector made the Captain to apologize to the player he had slapped and even the Captain’s family had apologized to the player’s family which was settled amicably. This is an internal matter but SPC is trying to make a big issue over this in order to cover up what they have done by fielding an ineligible player to play at the 43rd limited over encounter,” Fernando said.