Observer - Bata Cricket Contests: Startling changes - Malith and Lahiru take over the lead

CRICKET CONTESTS: Startling changes took place after votes were counted on coupon No. 11 in the most popular schoolboy cricketer of the year (All-Island) and most popular schoolboy cricketer of the year (outstation) contests.

The two contests are organised by the Sunday Observer and sponsored by Bata Shoe Company of Ceylon Limited.

In the All-lsland Contest, Malith Gunatilleke of Ananda has shot into the lead with 24,418 votes while the leader on coupon No. 10 - Rajeeva Weerasinghe of St. Joseph's dropped to second place with 21,767 votes and Royalist Haroon Mawjood is third with 14,341 votes.

In the Outstation Contest, fourth placed on Coupon No. 41 Lahiru Pathirana of Kegalu Vidyalaya has jumped into the lead in the penultimate weekend - that's coupon No. 11 with 13,152 votes.

In second place is Coupon No. 10 leader Asanka Nanayakkara of St. Anthony's Wattala with 12,308 votes and fifth placed on Coupon No. 10 - Sarinda Abeyratne of Bandaranayake College is third with 12,216 votes. Fourth is Azfaz Ansar of Azhar College, Akurana with 9,087 votes.