Schoolboy Cricketer Contest - a boost for youngsters - Nawaz

by Ranjan Anandappa

Looking back, the contest has provided a good filtering , as a good number of recipients have ended as national players. It has been a good encouragement for the schoolboy players who are hoping to represent the country at the highest level . When I won the award I felt as it was my greatest achievement said former Sri Lanka player and present Under 19 coach Naveed Nawaz.

The winning of the title inspired me a lot and gave me lot confidence. I represented the Schools under 19 team which toured Singapore and Malaysia in the same year I won the coveted award.

Although cricket wise the tour was not the ideal one, we had top players who later represented the country at the highest level.

Among them were Former skipper Mahela Jayawardena, Chaminda Vaas, Ravindra Pushpakumara, Russel Arnold, Avishka Gunawardena, Indika de Saram, Saman Jayantha to name some. Nawaz is the present under 19 coach and he is determined to bring the Sri Lanka under 19 cricket to the strong position which they were at one time. Competition of this nature will undoubtedly help to harness talent for the future cricketers. I wish all the success for the show to go on for many more years and bring out the best.

It is also a commendable move to have the contest in three segments. This will give more opportunities for the players from the rural areas. In the recent past there has been a steady influx of outstation cricketers coming into the main stream.

The gold and the silver sections are more with cricketers from far away places. It will give the boys a lot of encouragement and something to look forward to establish themselves and be on stage with the big names of school cricket in the country.

Naveed Nawaz was an elegant left -hander during his school days at D.S.Senanayake College. Cricket was his first love and took to cricket coaching which he did successfully and soon became the Under 19 national coach. He has guided many a youngsters who are now performing at top level.