Big Match
In Sri Lankan cricket, a Big Match is an annual school cricket match typically played between two rival schools in Sri Lanka. Said schools often have a long history of competition, with some rivalries lasting over a century. Big matches have become a significant part of modern Sri Lankan culture, involving both school children and alumni.
History
Annual Big matches are played between two rival school cricket teams in Sri Lanka. Most of these matches are held at the end of the first school term, typically in March. Big Matches are not only competitions between schools but also serve as gatherings for alumni, known as "Old Boys." Many of these encounters have been played for several years, many over 100 years old.The oldest known big match is the Battle of the Blues cricket encounter, played between S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia and Royal College, Colombo since 1879. The Battle of the Maroons has been played between Dharmaraja College, Kandy, and Kingswood College, Kandy. It is the oldest cricket match series in the central province and the second oldest in Sri Lanka, having been played since 1893. The Battle of the Blues has been played between St. Thomas' College, Matara, and St. Servatius' College Matara since 1900.
Most big matches are played over two days. However, three notable Big Matches–the Battle of the Blues, the Battle of the Blues and the Battle of the North–are played over three days. Also from 2025 onwards, Sri Lanka Cricket and Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association have decided that the annual Big Matches between the country's top schools, traditionally held over two days, will now be played as three days encounters. Accordingly, Battle of the Brothers big match between Thurstan College and Isipathana College Colombo is played as a 3-day encounter this year. So as the Battle of the Saints between St Josephs College and St Peters College and the Battle of the Maroons between Ananda College and Nalanda College, Colombo is also played as a 3-day encounter.
List of Big Matches
Current
The following is a list of Big Matches which are still held annually as of 2025.| # | Series | Rival Schools | First Edition | Latest Edition | Last Played Location | |
| 1 | Battle of the Blues | Royal College, Colombo vs S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia | 1879 | 146th | Singhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground | |
| 2 | Battle of the Maroons | Dharmaraja College, Kandy vs Kingswood College, Kandy | 1893 | 118th | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium | |
| 3 | Battle of the Blues | St. Thomas' College, Matara vs St. Servatius' College | 1900 | 125th | Uyanwatte Stadium | |
| 4 | Battle of the North | Jaffna Central College vs St. John's College | 1901 | 2025 | Jaffna Central College Grounds | |
| 5 | The Lovers' Quarrel | Richmond College, Galle vs Mahinda College Galle | 1905 | 120th | Galle International Stadium | |
| 6 | Battle of the Blues | Trinity College, Kandy vs St. Anthony's College, Kandy | 1914 | 106th | ||
| 7 | Battle of the Golds | Jaffna College vs St. Patrick's College, Jaffna | 1917 | 106th | Jaffna College Grounds | |
| 8 | Battle of Uva | Dharmadutha College, Badulla vs Uva College, Badulla | 1920 | 74th | Badulla Cricket Ground | |
| 9 | Battle of the Maroons | Ananda College Colombo vs Nalanda College, Colombo | 1924 | 95th | Singhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground | |
| 10 | Battle of the Saints | St Peter's College, Colombo vs St. Joseph's College, Colombo | 1933 | 91th | Singhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground | |
| 11 | Battle of the Golds | Prince of Wales' College, Moratuwa vs St. Sebastian's College, Moratuwa | 1933 | 73rd | De Soysa Stadium | |
| 12 | Battle of the Golds | Sri Sumangala College, Panadura vs Moratu Maha Vidyalaya | 1934 | 72st | De Soysa Stadium | |
| 13 | Battle of the Mangosteen | Kalutara Vidyalaya vs Tissa Central College | 1949 | 65th | De Soysa Stadium | |
| 14 | Battle of the Babes | St. Sylvester's College Kandy vs Vidyartha College Kandy | 1958 | 64rd | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium and Asgiriya Stadium | |
| 15 | Battle of the Rocks | Maliyadeva College Kurunegala vs St. Anne's College, Kurunegala | 1959 | 41th | Welagedara Stadium | |
| 16 | Battle of the Brothers | Thurstan College Colombo vs Isipathana College Colombo | 1964 | 62th | Singhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground, R. Premadasa Stadium and Thurstan Grounds | |
| 17 | Battle of the Blues | Sri Devananda College Ambalangoda vs Dharmasoka College Ambalangoda | 1966 | 2025 | Ambalangoda Urban Council Grounds Ambalangoda | |
| 18 | Battle of Kotte | Sri Jayawardenepura Maha Vidyalaya Kotte vs St. Thomas' College, Kotte | 1976 | 2025 | Colts Cricket Club Ground | |
| 19 | Battle of the Golds | St. Thomas' College, Matale vs Government Science College | 1980 | 2025 | Police Ground in Kandy | |
| 20 | Battle of the Hindus | Hindu College Colombo vs Jaffna Hindu College | 1981 | 2025 | P. Sara Oval Ground and Jaffna Hindu College Ground | |
| 21 | Battle of the Golds | Sri Sumangala College Kandy vs Sri Rahula College Kandy | 1981 | 26th | Pallekale International Cricket Stadium | |
| 22 | Battle of the Kalaniya | Gurukula College Kalaniya vs Sri Dharmaloka College Kalaniya | 1988 | 35th | P. Sara Oval Ground | |
| 23 | Battle of Sri Jayawardanapura | St. John's College, Nugegoda vs Ananda Sastralaya, Kotte | 1990 | 2025 | P. Sara Oval Ground | |
| 24 | Battle of the Greens | Royal College Panadura vs St. John's College Panadura | 1992 | 26th | Panadura Sports Club and De Soysa Stadium | |
| 25 | Battle of the Raigam Salpiti | Piliyandala Central College vs Taxila Central College, Horana | 2001 | 23th | De Soysa Stadium | |
| 26 | Battle of Blue and Gold | Nugawela Central College vs Walala A. Rathnayake College | 2004 | 19th | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium | |
| 27 | Battle of Greens | Royal College Wayamba, Kurunegala vs Sir John Kotalawala College | 2005 | 2024 | Welagedara Stadium | |
| 28 | Battle of the Golds | D. S. Senanayake College vs Mahanama College | 2007 | 19th | P. Sara Oval and R. Premadasa Stadium | |
| 29 | Battle of the Rathran | Prasident's College Kotte vs Asoka College Colombo | 2008 | 17th | P. Sara Oval and R. Premadasa Stadium | |
| 30 | Battle of Golden Lions | Dharmapala Vidyalaya vs Rahula College | 2012 | 12th | Uyanwatte Stadium | |
| 31 | Battle of the Seagulls | St. Peter's College Negombo vs St.Sebastian's College Katuneriya | 2012 | 2025 | BOI Sports Complex Katunayake | |
| 32 | Battle of the Raigam Pasdun | C.W. W. Kannangara Central College, Matugama vs Sri Palee College,Horana | 2018 | 7th | Public Ground, Matugama | |
| 33 | Battle of the Blues and Maroons | Mahinda Rajapaksha College, Homagama vs Defence Services School, Colombo | 2018 | 4th | Singhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground | |
| 35 | Battle of Ran Dam | Royal College Horana vs Siri Piyarathne Vidyalaya, Padukka | 2021 | 3rd | Poojitha Uduwana Ground, Horana | |
| 36 | Rev. James Cartman Cup | Wesley College, Colombo vs St. Benedict's College, Colombo | 2021 | 5th | P. Sara Oval Ground |
Former
The following is a list of former Big Matches which are no longer held regularly as of.| Series | Rival Schools | First Edition | Last Edition | |
| Battle of the Centralions | Piliyandala Central College vs Wadduwa Central College | 1975 | 2000 | |
| Battle of Dematagoda | St. John's College vs St. Mathew's College | 1976 | 2010s | |
| Battle of Friends | Vidyaloka College, Galle vs Meepawala Amarasuriya College, Galle | 1998 | 2012 | |
| Battle of Two Cities | Rahula College vs St. Aloysius' College | 2004 | 2011 | |
| Battle of the Hindus | Jaffna Hindu College vs Kokuvil Hindu College | 2008 | 2010s | |
| Battle of the Golds | Weeraketiya Rajapaksha Central College vs Dickwella Vijitha Central College | 2010 | 2010s | |
| Battle of the Greens | Arethusa College vs T. B. Jayah Zahira College | 2012 | 2010s | |
| Nikitha Grero Challenge Trophy | Lyceum International School Panadura vs Lyceum International School Nugegoda | 2015 | 2019 | |
| Battle of Minipura | St.Aloysius' College Ratnapura vs Sivali Central College Ratnapura | 1931 | 2000 |