After a hiatus lasting several decades, one of the island’s most prestigious school cricket tournaments, the Elephant House Lemonade Sixes, made a triumphant return. The STC–Elephant House Lemonade Trophy Invitation Schools Cricket Sixes Tournament recommenced at the S. Thomas’ College Grounds in Mount Lavinia, held in conjunction with the host school’s landmark 175th-anniversary celebrations.
The tournament featured top-tier school cricket sides from across the country, delivering high-octane entertainment. After days of fierce competition, Prince of Wales’ College, Moratuwa, emerged as the Cup Champions, delivering a dominant performance to beat Royal College, Colombo, by 21 runs in the final.
- Lemonade Sixes කුසලානය වේල්ස් කුමරුවන්ට
- Photos – Lemonade Sixes 2026 – Day 01
- Photos – Lemonade Sixes 2026 – Day 02
The path to the championship was paved with thrilling encounters. The pre-quarter-finals saw eight schools advance to the quarter-finals: Royal College, Richmond College (Galle), St. Benedict’s College (Kotahena), Mahinda College (Galle), Wesley College, St. Anthony’s College (Katugastota), Ananda College, and Prince of Wales’ College. They secured their victories against Trinity College (Kandy), St. Joseph’s College (Colombo), Nalanda College (Colombo), St. Sebastian’s College (Moratuwa), St. John’s College (Jaffna), Maris Stella College (Negombo), S. Thomas’ College (Mt. Lavinia), and Maliyadeva College (Kurunegala), respectively.
The quarter-finals provided their own share of drama. Royal College, Colombo, convincingly defeated Richmond College by 23 runs. In a high-scoring affair, St. Benedict’s College successfully chased down a target of 93 runs against Mahinda College. Wesley College edged out St. Anthony’s College by 16 runs in a thriller, while Prince of Wales’ College steamrolled Ananda College with a massive 67-run victory to secure their place in the Cup semi-finals.
One of the most memorable moments of the quarter-finals came from Mahinda College skipper Dulsith Darshana. Despite his team’s loss, Darshana stole the spotlight by launching a brutal assault on Tehan Bitar of St. Benedict’s College. The power hitter blasted six sixes over the heads of the deep square-leg and deep mid-wicket fielders, accumulating a staggering 41 runs in a single over, which included a no-ball. However, the Benedictines held their nerve to mount a superb comeback and win the match.
The first semi-final saw Royal College, Colombo, chase down a formidable target of 70 runs against St. Benedict’s College, securing a three-wicket victory to book their place in the final.
The second semi-final, contested between Wesley College and Prince of Wales’ College, was hailed as the encounter of the tournament. The game went down to the wire and ended in a thrilling tie, sending the match into a Super Over. Under immense pressure, the spirited Prince of Wales’ outfit kept their cool, successfully chasing down the target of 19 runs to seal their spot in the championship game.
In the high-stakes Cup Final, Prince of Wales’ College posted a mammoth total of 94 runs for the loss of just one wicket. “Golden Boy” Mathesha Aponso rose to the occasion, playing a title-deciding unbeaten knock of 48 runs. Faced with a steep challenge, the Royal College batters fought hard but were ultimately restricted to 73 runs. Prince of Wales’ College won by 21 runs, lifting the coveted trophy amidst jubilation.
While the battle for the Cup raged on, the Plate Championship saw equally competitive cricket. St. Joseph’s College, Nalanda College, St. John’s College, and S. Thomas’ College marched into the semi-finals with victories over Trinity College, St. Sebastian’s College, Maris Stella College, and Maliyadeva College, respectively. In the Plate semi-finals, St. Joseph’s College defeated Nalanda College by 12 runs. The host school, S. Thomas’ College, secured a 16-run victory against the tournament’s “dark horses,” St. John’s College, to reach the final.
The Plate Final saw St. Joseph’s College post a formidable total of 81 runs. However, in front of a jubilant home crowd, S. Thomas’ College was never intimidated. The hosts chased down the target with the loss of just a single wicket. Reshon Solomons delivered a staggering match-winning performance, remaining unbeaten on 69 runs to hand the Plate title to S. Thomas’ College.
The tournament concluded with a grand awards ceremony. Chandra Schafter, former Sri Lanka cricketer and an Old Boy of S. Thomas’ College, participated as the Chief Guest. Kapila Wijegunawardene, former Sri Lankan cricketer, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Cricket Selection Committee, and an Old Boy of S. Thomas’ College, attended as the Guest of Honour. After a series of match-winning performances, Cambrian Mathesha Aponso secured both the Player of the Final and Player of the Tournament awards.
The successful staging of the Elephant House Lemonade Sixes not only revived a nostalgic sporting tradition but also provided a platform for the country’s budding cricketers to showcase their talent in the shortest format of the game.
The Cup Championship
Cup Quartefinals 1
Royal College – 66/4 (5 Overs)
Dushen Uduwela 31, Mahiru Kodithuwakku 10 n.o, Bewin Jayawardhana 2/09
Richmond College – 42 all out (3.3 overs)
Bewin Jayawardhana 15, Hirun Matheesha 2/07, Thwindu Wewalwala 2/14,
Royal College won by 24 runs
Cup Quarterfinals 2
Prince of Wales’ College Moratuwa – 99/3 (5 overs)
Matheesha Aponsu 38, Nethul Anuhas 28 n.o., Rashan Wijeratne 2/14
Ananda College – 32 all out (2.5 overs)
Ovin Perera 15, Matheesha Aponsu 2/07, Shehan Ashen 2/11
Prince of Wales’ College Moratuwa won by 67 runs
Cup Quarterfinals 3
Mahinda College, Galle – 92/2 (5 Overs)
Dulsith Darshana 57 n.o., Sehas Ashinsa 24, Mihila Jayaweera 1/16
St. Benedicts College, Kotahena – 93/1 (4 overs)
Lithika Jayasundara 36 n.o., Mario Fernando 30, Kaveesha Githmal 1/15
St. Benedicts College, Kotahena won by 4 wickets
Cup Quarterfinals 4
Wesley College – 72/4 (5 Overs)
Gayuka Fernando 24 n.o., Charana Malimbada 14 n.o., Sanithu Gunathilake 2/06
St. Anthony’s College, Katugasthota – 56/0 (5 Overs)
Kaushika Kumarasinghe 45 n.o., Sisil Hemaka 11 n.o.
Wesley College won by 16 runs
Cup Semi final 1
St. Benedict’s College Kotahena – 69/3 (5 overs)
Tehan Bitar 37, Himaru Deshan 1/03
Royal College Colombo – 70/2 (4 overs)
Hirun Liyanarachchi 24, Rehan Peiris 20, Vihanga Ratnayake 1/17
Royal College won by 3 wickets
Cup Semi Final 2
Prince of Wales’ College Moratuwa – 86/1 (5 overs)
Palingu Perera 50 n.o., Nethula Anuhas 18 n.o., Lithma Perera 1/17
Wesley College Colombo: 86/3 (5 overs)
Kavindu Nimsara 39, Senura Lakshan 28 n.o., Ojash Shankar 1/06
Match Tied and went for a Super Over
Wesley College Colombo – 18/1 (1 over)
Senura Lakshan 16*, Ojash Shankar 1/16
Prince of Wales’ College Moratuwa – 19/0 (0.4)
Nethula 07 n.o.
Prince of Wales’ College Moratuwa won by 2 wickets.
Plate Semifinal 1
St. Joseph’s College – 79/3 (5 overs)
Aveesha Samash 31, Nushan Perera 20 n.o., Rasandu Silva 1/11
Nalanda College – 68/4 (5 overs)
Nemindu Akmeemana 32, Rusandu Silva 13 n.o., Chethana Kavinda 1/10
St. Joseph’s College won by 11 runs
Plate Semifinal 2
S.Thomas’ College Mt. Lavinia – 83/2 (5 overs)
Reshon Solomons 45 n.o., Stevon Peiris 14, Sivaneshwaran Kishanth 2/14
St. Jones College, Jaffna – 68/4 (5 overs)
Sivaneshwaran Kishanth 20, Jaden Amaraweera 2/06, Aron De Silva 2/07
S.Thomas’ College Mt. Lavinia won by 15 runs
Plate final
St. Joseph’s College Colombo – 81/1 (5 overs)
Yenula Danthanarayana 49 n.o., Aveesha Samash 22, Jayden Amaraweera 1/13
S.Thomas’ College Mt. Lavinia – 82/0 (4.4 overs)
Reshon Solomons 69 n.o., Jayden Amaraweera 13 n.o.
S. Thomas’ College Mt. Lavinia won by 5 wickets
Cup Final
Prince of Wales’ College Moratuwa – 94/1 (5 overs)
Matheesha Aponso 48 n.o., Nethula Anuhas 24 n.o.
Royal College Colombo – 73/0
Rehan Peiris 51 n.o., Hirun Matheesha 15 n.o.
Prince of Wales’ College Moratuwa won by 21 runs
Individual Awards
Most outstanding bowler – Hirun Liyanarachchi (Royal College Colombo)
Most outstanding batsman – Rehan Peiris (Royal College Colombo)
Player of the final – Mathesha Aponso (Prince of Wales College Moratuwa)
Player of the tournament – Mathesha Aponso (Prince of Wales College Moratuwa).
