Observer-Bata cricket contests....

Malith and Lahiru Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketers

by Leslie Fernando

CRICKET: Ananda College captain Malith Gunatileka, the star allrounder and Lahiru Pathirana of Kegalu Vidyalaya are the OBSERVER-BATA MOST POPULAR SCHOOLBOY CRICKETERS OF THE YEAR 2007.

Malith won the All-Island Contest with a total 35,130 votes having received 10,712 votes on the final coupon No, 12.

Malith has been on top except on coupon number two, three, four, nine and ten. He was in first place in the penultimate count No. II with 24, 418 votes ahead of Josephian skipper Rajeeva Weerasinghe 21,767 votes.

In the final coupon number 12, Malith received 10,712 votes while Rajeeva received 4848 votes. So Malith had no difficulty in coming on top with a massive lead of 8,479 votes. Rajeeva was in second position with 26,651 votes and Haroon Mowjood, Royal skipper third with 16,724 votes.

Besides being the popular cricketer, Malith right hand batsman had a successful season, scoring 589 runs which included a century and four half centuries. His best innings was against Richmond where he got an unbeaten 100 and 50. His other half centuries come against St.Joseph's 74, Mahinda 76 not out Wesley 51.

Malith is also a left arm 'leggie' captured 96 wickets with the best effort of 13 for 58 (match haul) against Royal. Ananda beat Royal after 47 years under Malith's captaincy and also due to a great bowling effort. The other best effort came against St.Benedict's College (13 for 32) Malith had a match - bag of 5 wickets on 13 occasions this season.

He is also a good fielder in any position.

He is a fourth year coloursman and has completed 'A' Level examination. He has played cricket for Ananda from the age of 10 years in various age group teams. The Ananda star has turned out for Old Anandian SC in Division three cricket tournament and has also played in the under-20 Provincial Cricket Tournaments with success.

He is presently in the Sri Lanka School's spin clinic managed by former Sri Lanka player Ruwan Kalpage.

As a 20 year old, Malith Gunatileka's immediate ambition is to get through GCE 'A' Level and continue playing cricket for a leading club in Colombo.

He is grateful to his coaches late P. W. Perera, P. Palitha, Anuruddha Polonnowita, Vipula Sittamige and Udayananda Perera for their guidance.

Lahiru - Most Popular in Outstations

Kegalu Vidyalaya spinner Lahiru Pathirana who was picked as the runner-up Best Bowler in the 2006 Outstation Contest (chosen by a panel of umpires), won by a majority of 5715 votes over Sarinda Abeyratne of Bandaranayake College Gampaha in the Most Popular Outstation Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest.

Lahiru received 23,208 votes while Sarinda received 17,489 votes. In the final coupon (No.12), Lahiru polled 10,056 votes and Sarinda polled 5,273 votes. Asanka Nanayakkara of St. Anthony's College took third position with 15,536 votes. He polled 3228 votes in the Coupon No. 12.

Lahiru has been playing cricket for the Kegalu Vidyalaya since he was 12 and he has captained the under-13, under-14 teams.

In the 2006-2007 school cricket season, Lahiru scored 232 runs. He is a right-hand batsman with a top score of 80 against Zahira, Colombo. He has captured 104 wickets as right-arm leg-spinner with the best being 14 for 27 against Trinity. Lahiru has 5 wickets in a match on five occasions.

He has represented Old Vidyalians in the Division three cricket tournament. He was a member of the champion team - Kegalu Vidyalaya at the under-17 Central Province Cricket Tournament, 2006.

He is a Grade 12 student and is expected to play for the Kegalu Vidyalaya next season as well. He is coached by S. A. Wahid.

The winner and runner-up in each of the contests will receive awards at the main awards show to be held in due course.