Sanath to grace awards ceremony on Friday

Chairman of Selectors Sanath Jayasuriya will grace the 35th Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year mega awards ceremony at the Galadari Hotel on Friday from 5.30 p.m. It will be a fitting tribute to the legendary Sri Lanka cricket captain turned parliamentarian who will return to the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year stage, exactly 25 years since winning the prestigious Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Outstation title way back in 1988, representing St. Servatius College, Matara.

For the first time in its 35-year-old history, the Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year ceremony will reward schoolboys under the Platinum, Gold and Silver categories in keeping with the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA) under-19 Division I, II and III, replacing the age old All-Island and Outstation categories. Since its inception in 1978/79 at a time when there were no under-19 Inter-School Cricket Tournament or awards ceremony for schoolboy cricketers, the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year has come a long way by producing many legendary cricketers.

Among them are the first-ever recipient of the award turned ICC Chief Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle, Sri Lanka’s World Cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga, world record holder Muttiah Muralitharan World Cup stars Roshan Mahanama, Asanka Gurusinha, Kumar Dharmasena and ex-Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu.

Minister for Mass Media and Information, Keheliya Rambukwella and Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena will be the guests of honour at the mega event sponsored by Sri Lanka’s national mobile service provider SLT Mobitel for the sixth successive year.

A galaxy of popular entertainers will perform at the mega show.