Benedictines retain Luke Shield for fifth consecutive year

Wednesday, 22 April 2026 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

St. Benedict’s College maintained its stranglehold on the prestigious Luke Shield, beating Wesley College by four wickets at the Singhalese Sports Club grounds on Saturday, 11 April 2026.

This limited-overs encounter between two of the oldest Christian schools in the country has been vigorously fought over since its inception in 2022, and the Benedictines have won each time.

The match winner for St. Benedict’s was undoubtedly their opening batsman Tehan Bitar, who played a brilliant, chanceless innings of 111 not out and steered his team to victory in the penultimate over of the game. He deservedly won the Best Batsman’s Award and the coveted Player of the Match Award, which included a handsome cash prize.

Batting first, Wesley were restricted to 193 runs, thanks mainly to a tight and accurate spell of three wickets for 25 runs in 10 overs by left-arm spinner Vihanga Ratnayake. This effort earned him the Best Bowler’s Award. The fielding of the Benedictines was neat, with wicketkeeper Mario Fernando being exceptional. Wesley captain Rashmika Ameraratne top-scored for Wesley with a fighting knock of 43 not out, unfortunately missing out on a well-deserved half-century. The Best Fielder’s Award was won by S. Thilakasan of Wesley College, and the Best Emerging Player Award went to R. Pieris of St. Benedict’s College.

The Benedictines were captained by fifth-year Coloursman Mevan Dissanaike and coached by former Benedictine opener S.K. Perera, and guided by energetic Master-in-Charge Asanka Wanninayake. This annual encounter is played in the true spirit of sportsmanship and is enjoyed by students, staff, and old boys of both schools. This eagerly awaited event each year has become a meeting point and a place of celebration, revelry, and camaraderie for old boys of both schools, with hundreds turning up from all parts of the world, especially for this friendly encounter. Annual Bens-Wesley cricket encounters are also staged in many cities such as Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, London, Toronto, and in the United Arab Emirates.