OBSERVER-MOBITEL have given much needed punch to school cricket

by A.C. de Silva

OBSERVER-MOBITEL AWARDS: School cricket is in full swing in all parts of the country and the game is being conducted in an elaborate scale. What has given the much needed punch is the OBSERVER-MOBITEL Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest which has been accepted by one and all as the cricket contests that have provided meaningful results. Jaffna is all agog, now that the “war” is over and school cricket is now in full swing and the cricketers from Jaffna too will come into recognition in the outstation sector.

Sri Lanka won cricket’s richest prize - the World Cup and it was all the encouragement that Arjuna Ranatunga derived from winning the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contests in 1980 and 1982 that pushed him along in his cricketing career that eventually helped him to help Sri Lanka to win the World Cup.

Well, Arjuna Ranatunga is a Old Anandian and there were several other Old Anandians who have won the OBSERVER-MOBITEL Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Award - school cricket’s richest prize.

They are: Sanjeewa Ranatunga - Arujuan’s younger brother in 1988, Marvan Atapattu in 1990, Thilan Samaraweera in 1994 and 1995, Muthumudalige Pushpakumara in 1999 and Malith Gunathilake in 2007.

Last year - Dinesh Chandimal became the seventh Anandian to win the top award after he had firmly established himself with proven records - having eight victims behind the stumps (he is a wicket-keeper), he also was the highest scorer for 2009 with a total of 1,580 runs which included 10 half centuries

Then another record that came Chandimal’s way was the highest score in the under-19 limited-over cricket, slamming 205 against Moratu Vidyalaya.

Last year at the awards presentation of the show, the chief guest Sidath Wettimuny requested all schoolboys to work hard for the school team and the returns will come the way of the boys who take the game seriously. There was also Minister of Sports and Public Recreation Gamini Lokuge who made a pleasing appearance at the show.

Chief guest Wettimuny said that sponsors are necessary to take the game forward.

In MOBITEL the organisers have found an ideal sponsor to give all the encouragement to the organisers and the schoolboys to keep the show going for many years to come.

Before the cricket umpires pick the winners in the Schoolboy Cricketer and Outstation Schoolboy Cricketer and other sectional winners, the OBSERVER-MOBITEL Most Popualr Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year All Island and Outstation are gathering momentum with each passing week.

Royalist S. Edirisuriya has now come into the picture and he is giving a hot challenge to Anandian Sachithra Perera. There is also Chathura Peiris of St. Peter’s and Nipun Karunanayake of Nalanda who seem to be having a close tussle for the top spot. In the Outstation Contest, S.I. Indunil Kumara of Devapathiraja Vidyalaya, Ratgama is in the lead with N. Rajaguru of Nugawela Central close second and it all points to a interesting tussle as the weeks roll by.

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Observer-Mobitel Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2010

All-Island Coupon No. 5

1. S. Edirisuriya (Royal) 10,647
2. Sachithra Perera (Ananda) 10,104
3. Chathura Peiris (St.Peter’s College) 9,987
4. Nipun Karunanayake (Nalanda) 9,802
5. Rasika Gamage (Dharmapala College) 7,423
6. H. Wickremasuriya (SACK) 5,172
7. Waruna Fernando (SBC) 3,997
8. Deshan Dians (St. Sebs.) 3,274
9. Udara Munasinghe (Thurstan College) 2,876
10. A. Riyal (SACK) 2,429

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Observer-Mobitel Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2010

Outstation Coupon No.5

1. S.H.I. Kumara (Devapathiraja V.) 7,854
2. N. Rajaguru (Nugawela Central) 7,772
3. M. Samarasekera (Maris Stella College) 6,943
4. K. Wickremarachchi (Gamini MMV, Bentota) 6,271
5. H. Abeyratne (Ibbagamuwa Central) 5,099
6. T. Dilranga (Bandaranayake C., Gampaha) 4,123
7. G. Sankalpa (Gurukula C., Kelaniya) 2,217
8. A. Thilakaratne (Sri Rahula C.,Katugastota) 2,209
9. A. Perera (Royal Panadura) 2,077
10. M. Ranasinghe (St.John’s Nugegoda) 1,908

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