Ranjan Madugalle - Royal College,
Schoolboy Cricketer - 1979

 

 

 
Recognising talents of schoolboy

Recognising talents of schoolboy cricketers...

The Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest, which has produced Sri Lanka's cricketing legends for the past 30 years, has gained national status.

The Mega Awards Show which recognises talents of schoolboy cricketers is organized by Sri Lanka�s flagship English newspaper with the largest circulation � the Sunday Observer, in association with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA) and Sri Lanka Cricket Umpires & Sorcerers� Association (SLCUSA).

The present sponsor of the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest is Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel, Sri Lanka�s national cellular network.

It is the original show that goes on and on, maintaining its rich traditions for the last three decades.

Over the years, the contest has produced some of the greatest Sri Lanka cricketers - Ranjan Madugalle, Arjuna Ranatunga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Roshan Mahanama, Asanka Gurusinha, Marvan Atapattu, Kumara Dharmasena and Sanath Jayasuriya, to name a few.

Chief ICC Match Referee and former Royal, NCC and Sri Lanka captain Ranjan Madugalle was the first recipient of the prestigious award in 1979. Sri Lanka�s World Cup winning captain and former Ananda and SSC skipper Arjuna Ranatunga, has twice won this coveted award in 1980 and in 1982.

It is the dream of any schoolboy cricketer to win the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer 'crown'.

The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited � Sri Lanka�s oldest and the largest newspaper group which publishers the Sunday Observer, has been in the forefront of sports promotion, recognising the talents of schoolboy cricketers and motivating them to step into the big league.

 

Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited and the Observer should be complemented for keeping the show going for all these years. Sponsors are essential to keep the show going. May the show continue for many years to come.

In the past, most of the winners of the top awards came from Colombo and its suburbs, but now, the outstation schools have come in a big way and it is a positive sign for the game.

Ranjan Madugalle
ICC Chief Match Referee & Former Sri Lanka captain

 

It is the dream of any schoolboy cricketer to win the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year award. It's great for the Sunday Observer in continuing the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest for the 31st year from 1979 to encourage the budding schoolboy cricketers. I was particularly happy to see that the Northern Province will join up with the others in the competitions at the contest.

I am happy at the improvement of outstation cricket as the game has spread far and wide in the country. Many Sri Lankan cricketing giants of the past and the present are those who have either won the prestigious and coveted Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Award or one of the many awards presented at the contest.

Arjuna Ranatunga
World Cup winning Captain

 

The Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year contest gave all the encouragement for me to forge ahead in the cricket world since I won the title in 1990 and also became the Best Batsman.

I would like to compliment the ANCL and Sunday Observer for keeping the show going for all these years. Schoolboy cricketers should be encouraged on a larger scale. This contest is sure to identify the talent and the high performances. I am confident that the up-and-coming schoolboy cricketers follow the same example set by those who won top awards at the contest.

Marvan Atapattu
Former Sri Lanka captain


Produced by Lake House Copyright - 2009 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.

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