- Ladies softball cricket also featured
The 56th annual Saints’ Quadrangular Tournament returns this year on 8 and 9 November, bringing together four of the country’s leading Catholic schools for a weekend of spirited competition, bonhomie and nostalgia.
The four schools involved in this long-running event are St. Anthony’s College Katugastota, St. Benedict’s College Colombo 13, St. Joseph’s College Colombo 10 and St. Peter’s College Colombo 4.
This detail was revealed to the media by the organisers of the event at a press briefing held at the Old Joes Sports Club at Darley Road on Tuesday (28).
According to the organisers, the origins of this historic tournament dates back to 1963, during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of St. Benedict’s College.
An open invitation had been extended to schools across the country for a cricket tournament, and coincidentally, only the three premier Catholic institutions had joined – St. Anthony’s, St. Joseph’s and St. Peter’s Colleges.
The inaugural organising committee consisted of Basil Noyar (SBC), Tom Deen (SACK), Jimmy Vanderkoon (SJC) and Maurice Perera (SPC).
The said trio’s vision, together with the foresight of old Anthonian late Ranjith Samarasekara, who was instrumental in encouraging the schools to make this an annual event, had given birth to what is now known as the Saints’ Quadrangular Tournament.
The organisers stated that what had commenced as a two-day cricket encounter has now evolved into a multi-sport carnival that continues to embody the true spirit of sportsmanship and fraternity.
During the past five decades, the Quadrangular has witnessed numerous national and international cricketers proudly don their school colours once more, rekindling memories of their school days.
23 years ago, the organisers had introduced a 25-over cricket tournament for players aged 40 and above, allowing past cricketers to once again to turnout for their beloved alma mater.
Two years later, in 2004, basketball had been added to the lineup, enriching the event further given the strong basketball heritage of the four schools.
Continuing its evolution, seven-a-side rugby had been introduced in 2014, transforming the Saints’ Quadrangular into a vibrant sports carnival that now features three major sports across four tournaments-cricket, basketball and rugby.
Each sport at the event will carry its own coveted silverware, the organisers stated. The Quadrangular Trophy will be awarded to the winners of the two cricket tournaments.
The Very Rev. Fr. Joe E. Wickramasinghe Trophy will be presented to the basketball champions while the Ranjith Samarasekara Challenge Trophy will be awarded to the overall winners of the tournament.
Each year, one of the four schools hosts the event and this year the tournament will be hosted by the Old Joes Sports Club.
All events are scheduled to be held at St. Joseph’s College grounds at Darley Road and at St. Peter’s College grounds at Colombo 4, respectively.
The guest of honour at the opening ceremony is to be distinguished old Joe Dinuk de Silva Wijeyarathne while another illustrious product of the same school Kenneth De Zilwa is to be the chief guest.
The organisers also disclosed the fact that like in 2024, they have invited their four sister schools namely, Good Shepherd Convent Kandy, Good Shepherd Convent Colombo 13, St. Bridget’s Convent Colombo 7 and the Holy Family Convent Colombo 4 for a six-a-side ladies softball cricket tourney which is to start at Darley Road on 9 November.