Mega Show on ITN on Thursday at 10 pm

The 34th Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year mega show, which included awards presentation and seven entertainment items, will be shown on ITN on Thursday (18) commencing from 10 p.m.

The two-hour show, sponsored by national mobile service provider SLT Mobitel, will telecast all entertainment segments that were dished out at the mega show held at Galadari Hotel recently with former Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu as the chief guest.

Performances of the galaxy of top performers and entertainers present at the show will be shown in full - including, world-renowned Bhathiya and Santhush. Besides B n S, performances of Dushyanth Weeraman (dedunna wage), Umaria (Price tag), Voice Print (Gayu Gee), Uditha Sanjaya (Adare Hithenawa Dekkama), Anthony Surendra (Kolaveri) and Nilukshi Jayaweerasingam (Alegra) too are included in the show.

Many leading Sri Lanka cricketers commended the feats of the Sunday Observer in recognizing top schoolboy cricketers since 1978/79 – in which former Sri Lanka captain Ranjan Madugalle became the first ever recipient of the prestigious award.

Trinity College Kandy took major honours for the second successive year at the 2012 Observer/Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest by winning prestigious awards. Trinitian Akila Jayasundera won the main award by being the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year and Trinity also took the Best Team (All Island Award) and the Best Captain’s award under the leadership of Jayasundera last year.

Trinity fared similarly this year too, with their captain Niroshan Dickwella winning the most coveted Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year and while Trinity cricketers also won the Best Captain and Best Fielders awards.

Although the recently concluded ICC Under-19 World Cricket Cup held in Brisbane, Australia was not the ideal one for the youngsters, three recipients of the Sunday Observer/Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer Contest represented the country at junior level.

Chief guest Marvan Atapattu, addressing the budding schoolboy cricketers, said that it was something like a homecoming to be with them on their great day. He said the young cricketers must dedicate themselves and the good things will come one’s way - that’s playing for the country and finding employment, etc. He said that playing cricket is a way of life, and advised the young cricketers not to be disheartened if they don’t get a call-up for the Sri Lanka at the first attempt, but stick on with the game as playing cricket is a way of life.

He said that besides playing the game, the game teaches the young players of how to conduct oneself in society. Atapattu said: “The stage has come to pay special attention to the game. Cricket is a learning game. Work hard.

Anthony Surendra

Uditha Sanjaya

Dushyanth Weeraman

Umaria