Embuldeniya in hot pursuit

St. Peter’s College batsman Lakshina Rodrigo has pulled in a big chunk of 1214 votes to enhance his count to 2077 at the third week of the 38th Sunday Observer-Mobitel Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer Of the Year contest.

It was a massive leap from his tally of 863 votes last week. He won the prize last year as well and this year got into the public eye by scoring a thousand runs.

But Rodrigo is closely followed by Royal College’s Lasith Embuldeniya who leaped from the third slot to the second position dislodging Ramesh Nimantha from St. Servatius College Matara.

Also rising up in the ranks is Trinity College bowler Ravin Sayer who polled 607 new votes to add to his 586 of last week, putting him in the third slot.

While Embuldeniya polled in 771 new votes, Nimantha could manage just 231 new votes.

Richmond College’s Charith Asalanka who captained Sri Lanka at the recent U-19 World Cup has also made steady progress rising from the bottom to the fourth position with 704 new votes.

In the gold category Ravin Yasas from Devapathiraja retained his lead with a further 401 new votes pushing up his tally to 1157 votes
 

Dudley Jansz (right) Associate Editor Sunday Observer and Pushpa Rowel - Editor Dinamina pick the weekly reader winners at the Sunday Observer-Mobitel Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer Of the Year contest (Picture by Saman Mendis)