image of the Royal Thomian 1889 Played on Galle Face Green.

Played on Galle Face Green.

Galle  Face  Green  then  –  and  now !!

The first Royal–Thomian cricket match played between Royal College, Colombo (at that time called Colombo Academy) and S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia was played on 15–17 July 1879 at Galle Face Green, which is today the site of the Taj Samudra Hotel. It was said that the two teams had to row across the Beira Lake in boats to reach the Galle Face Grounds. Colombo Academy won the inaugural encounter by 56 runs.

It was interesting to know that it was played on Galle Face Green and that  people watched it in top hats, sarong, jackets and carried umbrellas.