When Sumathipala and Madugalle stole the show

From the Galle Esplanade to the BMICH, and to five star hotel status, whatever the location it may be, the Sunday Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest has gone from strength to strength in recognizing young schoolboy cricket talent which has resulted in surfacing of future players.

Yet, another scenario will be unfolded when a bunch of schoolboy cricketers will be duly recognized for their efforts on the cricket field during the year 2015/2016. The coupons for the 38th Sunday Observer/Mobitel Most popular schoolboy Cricketer of the Year are already appearing in the ANCL group of Newspapers and readers are no doubt eagerly waiting to cast their vote for their favourite schoolboy cricketer.

The contest is getting bigger and broader yearly as it has explored the talent in the rural areas which has given the opportunity for those lads to be on par, or even better than the players representing Colombo schools judging by the number of players emerging from the rural schools who have stamped their class as top players.

The 1978 Sunday Observer Schoolboy Cricketer Of The Year Contest was a significant one. The contest was held at the Galle Esplanade for the first time in view of promoting the game in the outstation. It was quite appropriate in having the show in Galle as the Outstation Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year was Upul Sumathipala from Mahinda College, Galle.

Ranjan Madugalle, now the ICC's chief match referee and hailing from Royal College, Colombo won the 1978 contest and was also adjudged the winner in the following year (1979) as well.

Ranjan Madugalle

Upul Sumathipala

In both years St. Sebastian's College player Roger Wijesuriya was the runner-up. Both had a prolific record representing their respective schools which resulted in them finding a place in the Sri Lanka World Cup team in 1979 in England.

Madugalle who led an unbeaten Royal team, in addition to winning the main award (Schoolboy Cricketer), was also picked as the Best Captain and Best Batsman and runner-up in the Best Fielder category during a highly successful season.

A panel of umpires comprising Camillus Perera (Chairman), Vernon Tissera, Gilbert Perera, Allan Felsinger and K.T. Ponnabalam picked the winners at the Colombo Cricket Club (CCC) pavilion.

The contestants for the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 1978 were: Round one: Prasanna Amarasinghe (Ananda), Ranjan Madugalle (Royal), Shammy Rajendra (Wesley), Roger Wijesuriya (St.Sebastian's) and Selvaraj Dinesh (Trinity). Winner: Ranjan Madugalle, runner-up. Roger Wijesuriya.

Best Batsman Round one: Prasanna Amarasinghe (Ananda), Rohan Buultjens (St. Peter's), Ranjan Madugalle (Royal), K. Sabaratnam (St. Benedict's), Dilanjan Jayasekera (Wesley), Roger Wijesuriya (St. Sebastian's), Wirantha Fernando (Prince of Wales), Upul Sumathipala (Mahinda), Shammy Rajendra (Wesley), Russel de La Motte (St. Anthony's, Katugasthota), Round two: Prasanna Amarasinghe, Rohan Buultjens , Ranjan Madugalle, D.Jayasekera and Roger Wijesuriya. Winner: Ranjan Madugalle. runner-up: Prasanna Amarasinghe.

Best Bowler Round One: Prasanna Amarasinghe (Ananda), Susantha Karunaratne (Nalanda), Lakshman Aloysius (St. Joseph's), Vinothan John (St. Peter's), A. de Alwis (Royal), Gihan Perera (St. Benedict's), Ashantha de Mel (Isipathana), Roger Wijesuriya (St. Sebastian's), Selvaraj Dinesh (Trinity), Suhada Fernando (Thurstan). Round two: Karunaratne, Perera, De Mel, Wijesuriya, Dinesh.

Winner: Asantha de Mel. runner-up: Gihan Perera

Best fielder

Round One: Prasanna Amarasinghe (Ananda). Hemantha Devapriya (Nalanda), Lakshman Aloysius (St. Joseph's), Ranjan Madugalle (Royal), Shammy Rajendra (Wesley), Asantha de Mel (Isipathana), Roger Wijesuriya (St. Sebastian's), Wirantha Fernando (Prince of Wales), Andre Tissera (Trinity), Russel de La Motte (St. Anthony's, Katugasthota). Round two: Devapriya, Madugalle, De Mel, Fernando and Tissera. Winner: Hemantha Devapriya. runner-up. Ranjan Madugalle

Best All-Rounder

Round one: Prasanna Amarasinghe (Ananda), Asantha de Mel (Isipathana), Roger Wijesuriya (St. Sebastian's), Andre Tissera (Trinity), Selvaraj Dinesh (Trinity). Round two: Amarasinghe, Wijesuriya, Dinesh.

Winner: Roger Wijesuriya. runner-up. Prasanna Amarasinghe.

Best Captain

Round one: Ranjan Madugalle (Royal), Andre Tissera (Trinity), Susantha Karunaratne (Nalanda), Gihan Karunaratne (Ananda), Shammy Rajendra (Wesley), Winner: Ranjan Madugalle. runner-up. Andre Tissera.