The prestigious felicitation of the schoolboy cricketers, Dialog 4G – The Sunday Times Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2019 was held at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre today, 16th September.
The ceremony was graced by one of the most celebrated cricketers in Sri Lanka, Kumar Sangakkara as the chief guest while the world’s most successful left-arm bowler, Rangana Herath joined him as the guest of honour for the evening.
“Congratulations to all the winners and also to everyone who participated in the tournament and did not win. It is not the end of the line for you, it’s a challenge. Because, neither me or Mr Rangana Herath who is here with us today won an award in a Schoolboy cricket awards” – Kumar Sangakkara
The event is annually organized by Wijeya Newspapers Ltd and Dialog Axiata PLC to give recognition to the budding stars of Sri Lankan cricket. It was a glamorous and exciting evening with music and entertainment by renowned artists in Sri Lanka.
The agenda had 56 awards to be awarded for over 200 winners from categories such as All-Island schools, Emerging schools, Up and Coming cricketers and Girls’ schools.
Graduates of Sri Lanka’s Schools Cricket System: Batch of 2019 – Part I
Sri Lanka possesses one of the oldest and strongest Schools Cricket systems in the world.
An exceptional performer this season, Santhush Gunatilake of St. Peter’s College was judged the All-Island Best Batsman of the Year. His performances include a record double century in his rigorously consistent season. The run machine scored over 1000 runs with 6 centuries inclusive.
Mr. Consistent of Moratu Maha Vidyalaya, Nishan Madushka was named the All-Island Best Batsman of the Year runner-up behind Gunatilake. He too is a member of the 1000-run club and had an extremely successful season. The right-handed batsman also lead his school this year.
Next in line is the right-arm off-spinner from Kandy Kavishka Senadeera who has a tally of 128 wickets this season. The highest wicket-taker of the season who did the bulk of the bowling from one end for Trinity College. A sharp turner of the ball and quick through the air, Senadeera was fittingly adjudged the All-Island Best Bowler of the Year by the jury.
Photo Album : Dialog 4G – The Sunday Times Schoolboy Cricketer 2019
The Left-arm speedster Kalana Perera of S. Thomas’ College was awarded the runner-up of the All-Island Best Bowler title. He held his case strongly to win the title with his outstanding performances not just in schools cricket but also at the junior national level.
The man who was in the spotlight though was Lakshitha Rasanjana Manasinghe of Nalanda College, Colombo who had an outstanding season in every aspect of the game. Manasinghe scored over 1000 runs this season and picked up over 75 wickets with his right-arm off spin.
He was also adjudged the All-Island Best Fielder of the Year. All this while leading his team to a runner-up All-Island best team title. The left-handed batsman, a pure treat to watch in full flow, he is by all means the fittest to the title this year as he was crowned the Dialog 4G-The Sunday Times Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2019.
Graduates of Sri Lanka’s Schools Cricket System: Batch of 2019 – Part II
As we were taking a look at the career highlights and future plans of few of the most promising………..
S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia won the award for the All-Island best team of the year for the second consecutive time. The Thomian skipper, Sithara Hapuhinna was also awarded as the best captain of the year. The Thomians remained unbeaten in the league with 3 outright wins and 5 first-innings wins and they went on to become the runners-up of the tournament.
The list of awards are as follows:
Girls’ Schools
- Best girls team winner – Devapathiraja College – Rathgama
- Best girls team runner-up – Rathnavali Balika Vidyalaya – Gampaha
- Most popular girls cricketer winner – Sathya Sandeepani (Devapathiraja College, Rathgama)
- Most popular girls cricketer runner-up – Kaveesha Dilhari (Devapathiraja College, Rathgama)
- Most promising school girls player – Janadi Anali (Anula Vidyalaya)
Dialog 4G awards
- Dialog 4G fastest to 1000 runs – Santhush Gunathilake (St. Peter’s College, Colombo)
- Dialog 4G fastest to 100 wickets – Kavishka Senadheera (Trinity College, Kandy)
- Dialog 4G Bowler – Nadeera Ishan (Vidyaloka College, Galle)
Up and coming schools
- Best bowler winner – Nadeera Ishan (Vidyaloka College, Galle)
- Best bowler runner-up – Kavindu Maduranga (Nalanda Central College, Minuwangoda)
- Best batsman winner – Kalana Madushanka (Seethawaka Central College)
- Best batsman runner-up – Viraj Hemantha (Nugawela Central College)
- Best allrounder winner – Sandaruwan Chinthaka (Galahitiyawa Central College)
- Best allrounder runner-up – Nisal Malinga (Christ King College, Ja-Ela)
Emerging schools
- Best team – Western Province – Christ King College – Ja Ela
- Best team – Southern Province – Vidyaloka College – Galle
- Best team – Central Province – Sri Rahula College – Katugastota
- Best team – North Western Province – Maliyadeva Model School – Kurunegala
- Best Fielder winner – Chamod Sandaru (Piliyandala Central College)
- Best Fielder runner-up – Ishara Maduwantha (Karandeniya Central College)
- Best wicket keeper winner – Janeth kaushal (Karandeniya Central College)
- Best wicket keeper runner-up – Ravishan Perera (Holy Cross College, Kalutara)
- Best bowler winner – Nimnaka Jayathilake (St. Anthony’s College, Katugasthota)
- Best bowler runner-up – Ravindu Milan (Karandeniya Central College)
- Best batsman winner – Sohan de Livera (Devananda College, Ambalangoda)
- Best batsman runner-up – Chamod Sandaru (Piliyandala Central College)
- Best allrounder winner – Samith Isuru (Karandeniya Central College)
- Best allrounder runner-up – Heshan Madushanka (Piliyandala Central College)
- All-Island best emerging team winner – St. Anthony’s College – Katugastota
- All-Island best emerging team runner-up – Piliyandala Central
- Most popular schoolboy cricketer winner – Lithija Kalhara (Ananda Maithree College, Balangoda)
- Most popular schoolboy cricketer 1st runner-up – Vishal Rukshan (St. Peter’s College, Udugampola)
- Most popular schoolboy cricketer 2nd runner-up – Thanusha Sandaruwan Costa
- Schoolboy cricketer of the year winner – Samith Isuru (Karandeniya Central College)
- Schoolboy cricketer of the year runner-up – Chamod Sandaru (Piliyandala Central College)
Premier Schools
- Best Fielder winner – Lakshitha Rasanjana Manasinghe (Nalanda College, Colombo)
- Best Fielder runner-up – Amitha Dabare (D.S. Senanayake College)
- Best wicket keeper winner – Shannon Fernando (St. Peter’s College, Colombo)
- Best wicket keeper runner-up – Dilhara Polgampola (Nalanda College, Colombo)
- Best bowler winner – Kavishka Senadheera (Trinity College, Kandy)
- Best bowler runner-up – Kalana Perera (S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia)
- Best batsman winner – Santhush Gunathilake (St. Peter’s College, Colombo)
- Best batsman runner-up – Nishan Madushka (Moratu Maha Vidyalaya)
- Best allrounder winner – Lakshitha Rasanjana Manasinghe (Nalanda College, Colombo)
- Best allrounder runner-up – Imthiaz Slaza (Zahira College, Colombo)
- All-Island best team winner – S. Thomas’ College – Mt. Lavinia
- All-Island best team runner-up – Nalanda College
- Best Captain – Sithara Hapuhinna
- Most popular schoolboy cricketer winner – Navod Paranavithana (Mahinda College, Galle)
- Most popular schoolboy cricketer 1st runner-up – Pasindu Ushetti (Maris Stella College, Negombo)
- Most popular schoolboy cricketer 2nd runner-up – Muizz Rafeel (St. Anne’s College, Kurunegala)
- Schoolboy cricketer of the year winner – Lakshitha Rasanjana Manasinghe (Nalanda College, Colombo)
- Schoolboy cricketer of the year runner-up – Kavishka Senadheera (Trinity College, Kandy)
