Online edition of Sunday Observer

St. Peter's College allrounder Lahiru Peiris and Kasun Bodhisha the captain of St. Servatius' College, Matara are the OBSERVER/BATA MOST POPULAR SCHOOLBOY CRICKETERS OF THE YEAR 2004.

Lahiru Peiris of St. Peter’s College - Observer-Bata Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year - All Island 2004. (Pictures by Chinthaka Kumarasinghe).

Lahiru won the All-Island Contest with a total of 15,038 votes, having received 7,791 votes on the final coupon No. 12.

Lahiru was at the top except on coupon number one to six. He was in front in the penultimate count No. 11 with 7,247 votes ahead of Nalandian Sakura Wijetunga 5,366 votes.

In the final count coupon No. 12 Lahiru received 7,791 votes while Dinesh de Silva of D. S. Senanayake College who was placed third in the Coupon No. 11 with 1,763 votes jumped into second position, polling 13,092 votes on the final coupon. Dinesh collected 14,855 votes while Sakura who was leading from coupon numbers one to six, finally was placed third with 14,794 votes. Lahiru started playing cricket in 1999 and has captained the under-13 and under-15 teams. He toured Chennai and Bangalore with the under-13 division one champion team in 2000. Lahiru has played in several All-Island inter district tournaments conducted by the BCCSL and has performed well with both the bat and ball.

Kasun Bodhisha of St. Servatius College, Matara - Observer-Bata Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year - Outstation 2004.

In 2002, Lahiru played against Mareton and Southwest District under-16 team of Queensland, Australia at the CCC grounds and top scored with a fluent 91 runs.

He has been member of the Peterite 1st XI team for three years in-a-row 2002 to 2004. He scored 560 runs and captued 13 wickets this season the highest being aginst Prince of Wales College unbeaten 50.

Lahiru played in the 'Big Match' and 50-over encounter against the Joes and did well. Played in the Elephant Lemonade tourney and hit a fine 70 against Lumbini MV.

Lahiru is also in the Sri Lanka under-19 World Cup squad. He is a right hand batsman and off-spin bowler. He went on a scholarship to Australia in 2003 arranged by the Sri Lanka Cricket Foundation of Victoria. He played for Carey Baptist Grammer School in Kew and did exceptionally well and was awarded the batting trophy. Whilst in Melbourne, Lahiru also played for the Old Peterite cricket team that won the one-day six-a-side competition conducted at the Barry Simon Reserve at Endeavour Hills on Australia Day 2003.

Dr. Quintus de Zylva, the President of the Sri Lanka Cricket Foundation of Victoria was a source of great assistance to Lahiru when he was in Melbourne.

Lahiru 'A' Level (1st year commerce) is ever grateful to his parents, brother sisters, Rev. Fr. Felician Perera, Rector St. Peter's College and Rev. Fr. Sunil Ranjith Perera, Sports Co-Ordinator of St. Peter's College who have been a source of inspiration to Lahiru's cricket career. Lahiru who will continue to play for St. Peter's for another two seasons, also thanked his coaches L.H. Sunil and Roger Wijesooriya.

St. Servatius' College Matara allrounder and skipper Kasun Bodhisha won the outstation contest by a majority of 6,489 votes over Kosala Kulasekera of Vidyartha College Kandy.

Kasun received 7,308 while Kosala received 819 votes. In the final coupon (No. 12), Kasun polled 6,223 votes. Udesh Perera of St. Anne's College Kurunegala came in third with 488 votes.

Kasun who captained the 1st XI team this season, performed well, scoring over 700 runs and notching a century 131 in the 'Big Match' against St. Thomas' College Matara. He also claimed 3 for 19 in the match.

A left-arm spinner, he captured 43 wickets this season, the best being 6 for 33 against Debarawewa College. He had a match haul of 10 for 51 in this game. In the Limited over match against St. Thomas' College, Kasun was named the 'Man of the Match'.

He has played cricket for college since 12 years and had the rare distinction of captaining the side from under-13 to under-19. He has played for 1st XI for 4 successive years.

Kasun was also the Matara District Captain in the under-15 and under-19 tournaments.

Kasun is also a member of the Matara Sports Club and played in the under-23 tournament this year and scored 210 runs in five matches. He also played for the club in the Sara Trophy Tournament.

He is also a good student and has just finished the 'A' Level (Commerce). He said that he will continue to play club cricket to improve his standard. He thanked the parents and his brother, Principal of the College, and the two coaches for extending their supports.

1. Lahiru Peiris (St. Peter's) 15,038
2. Dinesh de Silva (D.S. Senanayake) 14,855
3. Sakura Wijetunga (Nalanda) 14,794
4. Amila Sandaruwan (Prince of Wales) 525
5. Naveen Dias (Royal) 248
6. Hans Fernando (St. Peter's) 173
7. Gihan de Silva (St. Peter's) 166
8. Yohan de Silva (Nalanda) 121
9. Christopher Fleming (St. Joseph's) 55
10.Tharindu Ariyawansa (St. Joseph's) 51

Weekly reader's 1st prize of Rs. 1000 to: Mrs. Ranmalie Fernando, LMRB, 65, Pamankada Road, Colombo 6.
Weekly readers 2nd prize of Rs. 750 to: Nihan Wijeratne, 38/4, Pattiwila Road, Pattiwila, Kelaniya.

1. Kasun Bodhisha(St. Servatius, Matara) 7308
2. Kosala Kulasekera (Vidyartha) 819
3. Udesh Perera (St. Anne's College) 488
4. Isuru Perera (Maris Stella) 102
5. M. Shamil (Azhar College, Akurana) 64
6. T. Wickremasinghe (St. Sylvester's) 40
7. A. Gunaratne (Sri Rahula, Kandy) 36
8. S. Fernando (St. Sylvester's) 25
9. D. Thanthsena (St. Thomas Matara) 23
10.S. Najwadeen (St. Sylvester's) 21

Weekly reader's 1st prize of Rs. 1000 to: T. Peiris, 33, Kuduwamulla Road, Katubedda, Moratuwa.

Weekly reader's 2nd prize of Rs. 750 to: C. N. Jagath Kumara, 209/1, Kirula Road, Colombo 6.