School Cricket’s MEGA SHOW tomorrow

By Leslie FERNANDO

OBSERVER-MOBITEL: One day more! It will be a rip-rearing school cricket showpiece - the awards presentation of the 32nd OBSERVER-MOBITEL Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year at the Bandaranaike ‘A’ Hall, BMICH. Yes, June 14 will be memorable day for all the winners of awards at the ceremony that has been held yearly to recognise the effort of schoolboys in the school cricket season. There will be many awards on offer and the winners have been picked by a panel of umpires from the Association of Cricket Umpires (Sri Lanka), Central Province Cricket Umpires Association, Southern Province Cricket Umpires Association assisted by the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association.

It’s happy occasion as schoolboy from Jaffna, too, will be receiving awards alongside their counterpart from other principal towns - Colombo, Kandy, Galle, Ambalangoda, Anuradhapura, Kalutara, Negombo for their efforts during long drawn-out school cricket season.

To have a show of this nature sponsors are a must and Sri Lanka’s national mobile service network, Sri Lanka Telecom-Mobitel has come forward to sponsor this great and prestigious event which will boost the schoolboys to better deeds in the years to come.

A show of this nature will also need someone special to be the chief guest and he is none other than Keheliya Rambukwella, Minister of Mass Media and Communication while the guest of honour is former Vidyartha College Kandy Sportsman C.B. Ratnayake the Minister of Sports.Aravinda de Silva, who is currently the head of the National Selection Committee of cricket who was invited as a special guest, has informed the organisers his inability to be present at the show as he is overlooking Sri Lanka cricket squad training at Dambulla for the Asia Cup to be held from June 15. Aravinda who became a celebrated Test and ODI cricketer with a memorable 107 not out in the 1996 World Cup Final against Australia to secure Sri Lanka a convincing 7-wkt victory, said that ANCL-Sunday Observer should be commended for organising a contest of this nature for the past three decades.

It is a source of inspiration for young schoolboy cricketers who will be our future cricketing stars. Aravinda wished the organisers and sponsors well for the role they have played todate.Many distinguish present and past Sri Lanka cricketers including past award winners are expected to grace the occasion. The Mega Show will include top-drawer entertainment provided by famous singers and popular dancers by an experienced dancing troupes. The show begins at 6.30 p.m. and all award winners and invitees are requested to be on their seats at BMICH by 6.15 p.m.