36th Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer voting from today

By Ranjan Anandappa

OBSERVER-MOBITEL AWARDS: The 36th Sunday Observer Schoolboy Cricketer Contest and the seventh sponsored by Mobitel was launched last Friday with the Sri Lanka Telecom/Mobitel Senior Deputy General Manager Nalin Perera handing over the sponsorship package to the Chairman of The Associated Newspapers Ceylon Ltd., Bandula Padmakumara flanked by Director Editorial Seelaratne Senerath and Director Legal Rasanga Harischandra.

For the past 35 years the contest has produced the bulk of schoolboy cricketers and many of them donning the Test ‘cap’ for the country. According to knowledgeable past cricketers the contest has been classed as a stepping stone for the future cricketers. The contest has gone beyond winning only prizes as the Chief ICC Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle and Kumara Dharmasena (ICC Elite Panel of Umpires) both who are recipients of the Schoolboy Cricketer award are now prominent figures in the ICC.

For the first time in the history of the contest, last year the contest was held in three categories mainly, Platinum, Gold and Silver. ‘Platinum’ is for the ‘A’ division cricket playing schools and with the introduction to the Gold and Silver more opportunities have been created for the schools from the outstations.

It is a known fact that an abundance of talent lie in the rural areas judging by the number of players who have emerged from those parts of the country, the Sunday Observer and Mobitel who are fully aware of this fact are going all out to recognise the players from the metropolis and beyond.

It is no exaggeration that school cricket has been the cradle for the future cricketers in Sri Lanaka and the games between the schools is no doubt a very vital factor. Talented future players could be easily identified while representing their respective schools. Top performers will be eligible on merit to be selected as fore runners in the competition.

36 schools in division 1, 33 schools in division 11 and a record number of 151 schools from division 111 are scheduled to compete in the SLSCA conducted tourney.