Galle went gay in 1978 with Madugalle taking spotlight

By Ranjan ANANDAPPA

From the Galle Esplanade to the BMICH, and to five star hotel status, whatever the location it may be, the Sunday Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest has gone from strength to strength in recognizing young schoolboy cricket talent which has resulted in surfacing the future players.

Yet, another scenario will be unfolded on September 11 (Tuesday) at the Galadari Hotel, Main Ballroom, when a bunch of schoolboy cricketers will be duly recognized for their efforts on the cricket field during the year 2011/2012.

The merit awards of the contest will be known on the day of the show. While the Most Popular category (All Island and Outstation) have already been decided by the readers by a vote, Sajeeva Salgado of Thurstan College with 78,002 votes and Ashan Wanigaratne also from the same school with 77,304 votes have secured the first two places in the All Island category while Kavindu Ashan Perera (51,902) of Royal College, Panadura and Angelo Jayasinghe (51,711) of Maris Stella College, Negombo have taken the first two places in the Outstation segment.

The contest is getting bigger and broader yearly as it has explored the talent in the rural areas which has given the opportunity for those lads to be on par, or even better than the players representing Colombo schools judging by the number of players emerging from the rural schools who have stamped their class as top players.

Mentioning the names of all the players who have come from outside the metropolis and had made their contribution to the national team could be a tedious exercise, but the names of Sanath Jayasuriya and Tharanga Paranavithana are synonymous in big time cricket these days.

1978 show in Galle

The 1978 Sunday Observer Schoolboy Cricketer Of The Year Contest was a significant one. The contest was held at the Galle Esplanade for the first time in view of promoting the game in the outstation.

It was quite appropriate in having the show in Galle as the Outstation Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year was Upul Sumathipala from Mahinda College, Galle. Ranjan Madugalle of Royal College, Colombo who won the 1978 contest was also judged as the winner in the following year (1979) as well. In both years St. Sebastian’s, Moratuwa’s Roger Wijesuriya was the runner-up.

Both had a prolific record representing their respective schools which resulted them to find a place in the Sri Lanka World Cup team in 1979 in England.

Madugalle who led an unbeaten Royal team, in addition to winning the main award (Schoolboy Cricketer), was also judged as the Best Captain, Best Batsman and the Best Fielder runner-up during a highly successful season.

As at present, a panel of umpires comprising D.C. Camillus Perera (Chairman), Vernon Tissera, Gilbert Perera, Allan Felsinger and K.T. Ponnabalam picked the winners at the Colombo Cricket Club (CCC) pavilion.

The contestants for the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 1978 were:

Round one: Prasanna Amarasinghe (Ananda), Ranjan Madugalle (Royal), Shammy Rajendra (Wesley), Roger Wijesuriya (St.Sebastian’s) and Selvaraj Dinesh (Trinity).

Winner: Ranjan Madugalle, runner-up. Roger Wijesuriya.
Best Batsman

Round one: Prasanna Amarasinghe (Ananda), Rohan Buultjens (St. Peter’s), Ranjan Madugalle (Royal), K. Sabaratnam (St. Benedict’s), Dilanjan Jayasekera (Wesley), Roger Wijesuriya(St. Sebastian’s), Wirantha Fernando (Prince of Wales), Upul Sumathipala (Mahinda), Shammy Rajendra (Wesley), Russel de La Motte (St. Anthony’s, Katugasthota),

Round two: Prasanna Amarasinghe, Rohan Buultjens , Ranjan Madugalle, D.Jayasekera and Roger Wijesuriya.

Winner: Ranjan Madugalle. runner-up: Prasanna Amarasinghe.
Best Bowler

Round One: Prasanna Amarasinghe (Ananda), Susantha Karunaratne (Nalanda), Lakshman Aloysius (St. Joseph’s), Vinothan John (St. Peter’s), A. de Alwis (Royal), Gihan Perera (St. Benedict’s), Ashantha de Mel (Isipathana), Roger Wijesuriya (St. Sebastian’s), Selvaraj Dinesh (Trinity), Suhada Fernando (Thurstan).

Round two: Karunaratne, Perera, De Mel, Wijesuriya, Dinesh.
Winner: Asantha de Mel. runner-up: Gihan Perera

Best fielder

Round One: Prasanna Amarasinghe (Ananda). Hemantha Devapriya (Nalanda), Lakshman Aloysius (St. Joseph’s), Ranjan Madugalle (Royal), Shammy Rajendra (Wesley), Asantha de Mel (Isipathana), Roger Wijesuriya (St. Sebastian’s), Wirantha Fernando (Prince of Wales), Andre Tissera (Trinity), Russel de La Motte (St. Anthony’s, Katugasthota).

Round two: Devapriya, Madugalle, De Mel, Fernando and Tissera.

Winner: Hemantha Devapriya. runner-up. Ranjan Madugalle

Best All-Rounder

Round one: Prasanna Amarasinghe (Ananda), Asantha de Mel (Isipathana), Roger Wijesuriya (St. Sebastian’s), Andre Tissera (Trinity), Selvaraj Dinesh (Trinity).

Round two: Amarasinghe, Wijesuriya, Dinesh.
Winner: Roger Wijesuriya. runner-up. Prasanna Amarasinghe.

Best Captain

Round one: Ranjan Madugalle (Royal), Andre Tissera (Trinity), Susantha Karunaratne (Nalanda), Gihan Karunaratne (Ananda), Shammy Rajendra (Wesley),

Winner: Ranjan Madugalle. runner-up. Andre Tissera.
Best All-Island Team: St. Peter’s College

Best teams

Central Province: Trinity College. Southern Province: Mahinda College, Northern Province: Jaffna Hindu College.

Best Outstation Cricketer

Round one: Ajith Narampanawa (Dharmaraja), Jagath Kodikara (St. Thomas’, Matara), Upul Sumathipala (Mahinda), N. Kanakaratne (Dharmaraja), Namal Peiris (Ananda Sastralaya, Kotte)

Winner: Upul Sumathipala. runner-up. N. KanakaratneIn the Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer category in 1978. Shammy Rajendra (Wesley), M. Fouzel Hameed (Zahira) and Ranjan Madugalle (Royal) were placed in the first three positions.