Sri Lanka Sports News | Sundayobserver.lk

Home

Sunday, 4 April 2010

Untitled-1

observer
ONLINE

News

Editorial

Finance

Features

Political

Security

Sports

Spectrum

Montage

Impact

World

Magazine

Junior

Obituaries

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Rich talent unearthed

by Leslie FERNANDO

Kithuruwan Vithanage of Royal continues to lead in the All-Island Contest.

Malinda Samarasekera of Maris Stella College, Negombo - the front runner in the Outstation Contest.

OBSERVER - MOBITEL: Two key officials Dilshan de Silva and Ignatius Anandappa of the Association of Cricket Umpires, Sri Lanka have been involved in the selection panel of the Observer - Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest for a couple of years.

Here’s what they have to say: The popular and prestigious Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest which was inaugurated in 1979 by the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited, has produced rich talent. The contests should be continued for many years to come, said Dilshan de Silva who has been holding key posts as the Secretary SLSCA, a selector, coach, manager, an experienced cricket administrator and a qualified umpire.

Dilshan said that he was very happy with the growth of school cricket in the island. There are many outstation schools in the game now and that shows the game has got a firm foothold in the island.

He said that the first winner of the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest in 1979 - Ranjan Madugalle has shown the world at large that the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year is not anybody but someone special.

Madugalle commands respect

The ICC appointed Madugalle as the chief match referee in their august body and Madugalle has got the respect of all cricket playing countries.

Dilshan further added that this contest has produced several Sri Lanka players, in fact, some have captained the Sri Lanka team. This contest is also a tremendous boost for the schoolboy cricketers from the outstations.

Dilshan also commended the Sri Lanka Telecom - Mobitel, Sri Lanka’s national mobile telephone network for sponsoring the contest.

The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited and Sunday Observer should be commended for organising the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year contest for 31, years said one of the most experienced cricket umpires Ignatius Anandappa. He was also a former Test umpire and the Administrative Secretary of ACUSL.

School cricket is fast developing in the country and the Outstation Schools are fast closing the gap on the Colombo Schools - Thanks to the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest.

The ANCL - organised contest has catered to the schools in Colombo and Outstation towns as well, and the contests have been well received.

Sri Lanka Telecom - Mobitel who are sponsoring this event for the third year in succession, should also be commended. SLT-Mobitel is also the proud sponsor of the Sri Lanka national cricket team. The umpires are in a better position to spot player’s talent during school matches. Anandappa was of the view that hidden talent should be spotted by the umpires.

It has been the cricket umpires who have decided on the winners from the very first contest and they are undoubtedly the best judges of the game said Anandappa.

Kithuruwan and Malinda in the lead

Royal College all-rounder Kithruwan Vithanage, under-19 Sri Lanka Youth Vice-Captain, who stroked a brisk unbeaten 44 runs in just 19 balls to win two awards - Best Batsman, Most Number of Sixes at the Royal - Thomian inaugural T20 played in the inaugural tourney continues to occupy the top spot in the All Island Contest while Malinda Samarasekera captain of Maris Stella College who was a poolist in the Sri Lanka under-19 Youth Team, is in front in the OBSERVER - MOBITEL Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest 2010.

Both Kithruwan and Malinda are in the lead after the count on coupon number 12.

Kithruwan Vithanage an aggressive left-hand bat, who played his final match for Royal last Saturday, signed off on a impressive note. Kithruwan was the Man of the Match for Sri Lanka in Australia and New Zealand last year at the Under-19 Youth World Cup matches.

He has been already included into the Sri Lanka Development Pool and also has been invited to play for Surrey in England in the Twenty 20 tournament.

He was, of course, selected for the national youth team following a tremendous season for Royal College in last year’s inter-school tournament. He amassed over one thousand runs in that year. Kithruwan is also a member of the SSC.

Malinda Samarasekera, is the skipper of the first eleven team of Maris Stella College, Negombo. He led the Maris Stella team, maintaining an unbeaten record during the season and the team qualified for the limited over tournament of SLSCA.

He has scored over 500 runs for the school and scored over 200 runs for the club - Negombo CC at Division two cricket tournament. He also captained the Gampaha District team in the inter-district tournament and went on to lead the Western Province North ‘Outer’ team in the Inter-Provincial under-19 cricket tournament in 2009.

Malinda Samarasekera comes from a family with a lot of cricket background. Elder brother Haren Samarasekera played for Royal, his second brother Shalinda Samarasekera played for Maris Stella and both have been fine all-rounders.

Observer-Mobitel Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2010

All-Island - Coupon No. 12

1. Kithuruwan Vithanage (Royal) 58,428

2. S. Edirisuriya (Royal) 58,191

3. Chathura Peiris (St.Peter’s College) 57,961

4. Nipun Karunanayake (Nalanda) 57,448

5. Sachithra Perera (Ananda) 49,288

6. S. H. I. Kumara (Mahanama College) 35,217

7. Rasika Gamage (Dharmapala College) 30,012

8. H. Wickremasuriya (SACK) 26,010

9. Waruna Fernando (SBC) 15,478

10. Deshan Dians (St.Sebs.) 9,993