Observer-Bata Cricket Awards on Wednesday

by Leslie Fernando

The 28th OBSERVER-BATA Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year awards ceremony will be held on October 4 at the BMICH at 6.00 p. m. On that day, two young men - Nalanda schoolboy Gihan Rupasinghe and that fine all-rounder Rohan Saliya Tennekoon of Kegalu Vidyalaya - will have a night to remember as they will rightfully adorn the tag: Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2006 and Outstation Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2006 respectively.

These two are among many others who will march up the rostrum to receive their awards for all the sweat and toil they put in during the 2005-2006 inter-school cricket season. This show has been eagerly looked forward to by the cricketers and supporters of school cricket as it is the oldest schools cricket show.
Over the years, this contest has catered to cricketers not only in popular schools but to schools in the deep interior. This year besides Kegalu Vidyalaya’s Tennekoon being picked as the Best Outstation Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year, Kegalu Vidyalaya has been picked as the Best Team in the Central Province, getting the nod over schools like Trinity, St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota, St. Sylvesters College, kingswood and St. Anne’s College, Kurunegela.

This contest has not only brought out talent from the regular cricket playing schools, but it has gone into the interior and unearthed fresh talent for example Ananda Maithreya College, Balangoda which team was picked as the best up-and-coming team.

The winners of these contests are picked by a panel of Cricket Umpires from the three associations - Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers Central Province Cricket Umpires Association and Southern Province Cricket Umpires Association. It has been the cricket umpires who have decided on the winners from the very first contest and they are undoubtedly the best judges of the game. This contest has brought out big names. Take for example the name of Ranjan Madugalle, who was the winner of this contest in 1979 and in 1978 when it was sponsored by Warner-Hudnut Lanka Limited. Now Madugalle is the most sought after official in International Cricket as he is the Chief Match Referee of the International Cricket Conference.

Then Arjuna Rantunga who won the contest in 1980 and 1982 went on to lead Sri Lanka to World Cup glory in 1996. Then Muttiah Muralitharan - World’s leading off-spin bowler who excels with his ‘Doosra’ these days, won the contest in 1991.

Sanath Jayasuriya who flies the St. Servatius’ Matara flag who needs little introduction to big-time cricket was the Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer Outstation during his schoolboy playing days, then another match referee that has emerged from his fine playing days is Roshan Mahanama of Nalanda who won the main contest in 1983-84.

There was another Ananda cricketer Thilan Samaraweera who won the contest in 1994 and 1995 has also shone with flying colours is the present Sri Lanka ‘A’ team captain. There was also former Sri Lanka skipper Marvan Atapattu who won the main contest 1990.

For two gentlemen-Bata’s new Managing Director Raphael Mollo, Chief Guest and Chairman ANCL, Anil Obeysekere the guest of honour will get their first taste of top flight entertainment together with the pleasing spectacle of seeing young cricketers receiving awards at a truly representative gathering.
The winners in the OBSERVER-BATA Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year:

Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year - Gihan Rupasinghe (Nalanda). Runner-up - Lahiru Peiris (St. Peter’s College), Best Batsman - Lahiru Peiris (St. Peter’s College), Runner-up - P. G. C. S. Pussegolla (S. Thomas’ College), Best Bowler - Lakshan Rodrigo (St. Peter’s College), Runner-up - K. G. Elvitigala (Turstan), Best Fielder - C. U. Herath (Ananda), Runner-up - K. N. M. Maligaspe (Royal), Best Allrounder - Gihan Rupasinghe (Nalanda), runner-up - D. C. Udugamsooriya (St. Peter’s College).

Outstation Contest - Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year - Rohan Saliya Tennakoon (Kegalu Vidyalaya), runner-up - W. M. M. S. T. Cooray (Holy Cross College Kalutara), Best Batsman - J. A. A. S. Jayasinghe (Kegalu VIdyalaya), runner-up - D. C. K. George (Ananda Maithreya College, Balangoda), Best Bowler - R. S. Tennakoon (Kegalu Vidyalaya), runner-up - S. P. L. O. Pathirana (Kegalu Vidyalaya), Best Fielder - J. A. A. S. Jayasinghe (Kegalu Vidyalaya), runner-up - J. P. C. Rajapakse (Joseph Vas College), Best Allrounder - W. M. M. S. T. Cooray (Holy Cross College), runner-up - R. S. Karunarathna (Kegalu Vidyalaya). Best captain - Jehan Fernando (St. Sebastian’s College).

Best Teams

All Island - St. Peter’s College runner-up - St. Sebastian’s College - Southern Province : St. Aloysius College runner-up - St. Servatius College, Central Province : Kegalu Vidyalaya, runner-up - St. Anne’s College.

Best Up - and - Coming - Team - Ananda Maithreya College, Balangoda. In addition to the above awards the OBSERVER-BATA make special prizes to Test player Chamara Kapugedera, Dharmaraja College, Kandy and under-19 World Cup captain Angelo Mathew of St. Joseph’s College.

Roshan Abeysinghe who is high up among the Cricket Commentators will be the compere for the show for the second time.

Music will be provided by Sohan and the Experiment.