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| Sunday, 19 December 2004 |
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Cricket is super stars game - Bata MD by A.C.De. Silva Bata's Managing Director Kym Bradley sounded a positive note and gave hope and inspiration to all schoolboy cricketers when he said that the "batting defects regarding this year's show would be overcome and we will have to get back to star-studed Observer-Bata Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year show from next year.
The Bata's boss was obviously not satisfied with the makeshift arrangements for this year's show because of an industrial dispute at his company, but had all hopes that everything would be settled in time for next year's Observer-Bata Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year competitions and awards show. Mr. Bradley was speaking at the rather modified awards presentation show held at the Regency Room of Hotel Taj Samudra last Wednesday where awards to the Most Popular Schoolboy cricketer of the Year All-Island and Outstation were made with the usual awards to the runners-up as well. He thanked ANCL Chairman Mr. Janadasa Peiris for the eloquent and timely address he made and thanked ANCL in joining Bata Shoe Company in bringing stars to the forefront with competitions of this nature. Bradley said that in early public life he met an American and as most people know Americans don't know anything about cricket, but he, being an Englishman took a liking to cricket as the Englishmen started cricket and he has closely followed the performances of Sri Lanka's cricketers who have become super stars in the game. Sports in general and cricket in particular is a super stars game, be it inter-school, domestic club games and finally international fixtures. Cricket is a team game and the authorities are concerned in not producing individual stars but outstanding teams so that the game will be spread far an wide and sponsorship will help to find teams that will collectively make their name in the international scene. Mr. Bradley said that competitions like the Observer-Bata Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year will help the organisers to unearth young talent and help them to make their mark in International cricket. Very Popular
ANCL Chairman Janadasa Peiris said that the Observer-Bata Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year competitions have been going on for over 25 years and the organisers Observer and sponsors Bata Shoe Company would undoubtedly be happy in the fact that the first winner. Ranjan Madugalle - the Royalist, went on to achieve high honours for the country by becoming the chief match referee of the International Cricket Conference and he had been accepted throughout the world. He also thanked Errol Nugawela and all officials of Bata for the interest taken. Cricket is very popular and a sport played all over the world and there are many followers of the game. Speaking about sponsorship of sports, he said that the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited has just finished the Tour de Lanka and also played their part in the rugby tournament. He said that he was keen to provide incentives and promote the game of cricket in the length and breadth of the country just like what Argentina has done in soccer. Cricket must be given prominence and the Daily News, Dinamina and Kreeda provide wide coverage of cricket and so does the Sunday Observer and Silumina has feature articles. So, cricket gets the publicity it so richly deserves. It is the most prestigious sport in the island. Turning to the award winners, Mr. Peiris wished them best of luck and hoped "that they will go from strength to strength". |
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