Embuldeniya shifts Rodrigo from top

Sri Lanka's under 19 Youth World Cup discard and Royal College's left arm leg spinner Lasith Embuldeniya took over the lead from St. Peter's College batsman Lakshina Rodrigo in the Platinum competition for division one schools in the Sunday Observer/Mobitel Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the year contest at the end of the third week's count

Rodrigo, one of the few players to crack over a 1000 runs in the season, led in the first two weeks but surprisingly paved the way for Embuldeniya who polled in 2675 votes to his 2529, a slim majority of 146 votes.Trinity's charismatic wicket-taker Ravin Sayer follows in the third slot.

Sammu Ashan of Ananda College climbed two steps up to occupy the fifth position after being in the seventh position polling 1018 votes.There were no changes in the other two segments with Raveen Yasas of Devapathiraja, Ratgama and Lakshan Fernando from De La Salle College, Mutwal heading the Gold and Silver respectively.

Sunday Observer Editor Lakshman Gunasekara (left) and Narada Sumanaratne deputy general manager Human Capital of Associated Newspapers Limited pick the weekly reader winners in the Sunday Observer/Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year contest. See page 24 for winners (Picture by Sudath Malaweera)