Sanjeeva Ranatunga following in footsteps of elder brother Arjuna

by Ranjan Anandappa

The fourth in a distinguished cricketing Ranatunga family, Sanjeeva Ranatunga who won the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Award, was the 6th Anandian to win the coveted prize in 1988.

Emulating the feat of his brother Arjuna who won in 1980, eight years later Sanjeeva was crowned with the title which was a dream come true for any schoolboy. His elder brother Arjuna, won it twice in 1980 and 1982 in the same year that Sri Lanka played the first ever official Test match against England in February 1982. Arjuna Ranatunga was a member of that historic team led by Bandula Warnapura and had the honour of scoring the first half century in Test match cricket for his country. The eldest of the Ranatunga's Dammika was also a Test player while Nishantha represented the country at an ODI series.

Sanjeeva Ranatunga paid a rich tribute to the Sunday Observer and the sponsors Mobitel for conducting the contest for over three and a half decades, spending their valuable time and money to support Sri Lanka cricket.

The contest over the years has produced a good number of cricketers who have represented the country at the highest level. Sanjeeva was pleased with the progress of the contest which has benefited many cricketers.

He said that there are more opportunities for the schoolboy cricketers from the rural areas with the contest being held in three categories.

This competition recognises the efforts of the schoolboys throughout the years, and finally the deserving players will be recognised and rewarded.

There is an abundance of talent in the rural areas which has surfaced and the contest will no doubt put them on the right track to forge ahead for the future of cricket in Sri Lanka.

In the recent past, cricketers from lesser known schools like Tharindu Kaushal from Devapathiraja, Ratgama and Akila Dananjaya from Mahanama Vidyalaya, Moratuwa have been recognised as potential spinners for the Sri Lankan team. In fact Dananjaya played in an international T20 series.

Tharindu Kaushal was included in a Sri Lankan squad to meet New Zealand after performing impressively at this year's under-19 World Cup held in Australia.

Sanjeeva Ranatunga represented the country in nine Test matches in an era Sri Lanka played a fewer number of Test matches.

However, he displayed his batting prowess scoring back to back hundreds against Zimbabwe. A batsman of Test match quality, he played in 13 ODI's.

He made his Test debut in 1994 against Pakistan at Asgiriya, Kandy and made his last Test appearance against the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica in 1997.

In his short 9-Test match career from 1994 to 1997, he had scored 531 runs including two centuries.