War over, Observer – Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer contests on

by A.C. de Silva

CRICKET: The `WAR’ is over, I mean the LTTE fight against humanity.

So, all sports bodies can now breathe a sigh of relief that their organisations can conduct their activities without any fear of being harassed. The SUNDAY OBSERVER and SLT MOBITEL - the pioneer hand-phone people, have come forward once again to conduct the ever popular Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest again.

This year is the 31st year that the show will be held and the first coupon to coincide with the show, will appear in the Sunday Observer of 14th June.

It’s true that the inter-school cricket season has come to an end this year, but the ANCL and SLT Mobitel authorities thought that it was not fair to deprive the schoolboys their due share for the wonderful performances they put up during the season in their matches.

The unprecedented keenness shown by the schoolboys and all others concerned in the running of inter-school matches should be duly recognised. Having the Observer-Mobitel show will also be a morale booster to the school cricketers in their future endeavours too.

So, the OBSERVER-MOBITEL SCHOOLBOY CRICKETER OF THE YEAR competition is definitely on!

Though the inter-school cricket season is over, the performances of the schoolboys will be taken note of and the awards will be made. The umpires from the umpires associations of Colombo, Kandy, Southern Province will make their choice.

It is also hoped to have the competition for the cricketers of the Northern Province. The organisers are trying their level best to contact the school cricket authorities in the Northern Province.

The School Cricket Associations in Jaffna are kindly requested to get in touch with The Editor, Sunday Observer. We would like to have details of the schoolboys who performed well during the season with their scores and bowling performances too.

First of all the Sunday Observer and Mobitel will be conducted the MOST POPULAR SCHOOLBOY CRICKETER OF THE YEAR - ALL ISLAND and OUTSTATION CONTESTS.

These two contests will be held in order to give the readers a chance to vote for there popular cricketers who have performed creditably this season.

The readers of the Sunday Observer, Daily News, Silumina, Dinamina and Tinakaran can look forward to the competition as voting coupons will be published in the Lake House Group of papers. Besides voting in the two competitions, readers also stand a chance to win valuable prizes each week.

The OBSERVER Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contests have been very popular in the past and the umpires have made some sound decisions in picking the various winners as the cricketers in later years have gone onto represent Sri Lanka in big-time cricket.Take for example - Arjuna Ranatunga - the Sri Lanka cricket captain who won the World Cup for the country in 1996, was The OBSERVER Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year in 1980 and 82, then Ranjan Madugalle - who has been a popular figure at this competition, won it in 1978 and 1979. He is now the Chief Match Referee of the ICC.

He captained Sri Lanka in two Tests.

Muttiah Muralitharan who needs no introduction about his bowling feats in the international scene, won the top award while playing for St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota in 1991. Then Thilan Samaraweera - who climbed the ladder of success in Sri Lanka’s Test team, was the winner here in 1994 and 1995.

There was Roshan Mahanama - the former Nalanda and Sri Lanka star batsman won the top award in 1983 and 1984.

Wesley’s Farveez Mahroof - Sri Lanka’s paceman, won here in 2003, Asanka Gurusinha of Nalanda and Sri Lanka fame, won here in 1985, Mavan Atapattu of Ananda College won in 1990.

So, the names are there - all top cricketers who have gone on to represent the country at the highest level. So, this is The School Cricket Competition and all good cricketers have a place.