Sunday August 7, 2011
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Sunday August 7, 2011 Bhanuka's younger brother Shanuka collecting the coveted prize on his behalf from Chief guest Sidath Wettimuny riday, August 5 was a day the schoolboy cricketers of Sri Lanka will long remember. They were rewarded for their hard and untiring efforts for the F2010 season. Bata and the Sunday Times together with officials of the Sri Lanka School Cricket Association, Association of Cricket Umpires and top cricketers of yesteryear and made a grand effort to pick and choose the best schoolboy cricketers and teams. These young cricketers will undoubtedly contribute to the national stream in years to come. The grand night, the awards ceremo- ny, of the 32nd Bata-the Sunday Times Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year kicked off on Friday at the BMICH in Colombo with the distinguished patronage of former national cricketer and present interim committee member of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), Sidath Wettimuny as the chief guest. Among other invitees were Mr. and Mrs. Cesar Panduro (CEO of Bata), Hemaka Amarasuriya (Director, Bata), Brendon Kuruppu, Jayantha Seneviratne, Carlton Bernadus, Charith Senanayake and Hatta Tutuko (CFO, Bata). After the welcome speech from CEO of Bata, Cesar Panduro, Carlton Bernadus who is the manager of School Cricket Development at SLC made a short speech attributing the importance of recognizing the booming cricketing tal- ents in the country. But the center of all was chief guest, Sidath Wettimuny’s oration which had many thought provoking sights for young cricketers, the coaches and in particu- lar the parents. Wettimuny credited the present day cricketers who work hard to accomplish their goals going along with modern day technology. “During my playing days a batsman could do a bit of fielding that was a big advantage. If a bowler could do a bit of batting it was a huge plus point. But today you get cricketers who bat, bowl and field alike. That’s very good for cricket,” Wettimuny pointed out. “There will be a time in the very near future when all eleven players of a cricket team will be all-rounders. And even ora- tory capabilities could be considered as Bhanuka Rajapaksa - Bata- the Sunday Times Schoolboy advantages,” a light hearted Wettimuny Cricketer of the year 2011 added. But he also elaborated another side. “When considering the sustainability of the cricketers of our era and the present there is a huge difference. Today’s crick- eters’ careers are short-lived and inju- ries that were very rare in our days have resulted in many talented cricketers pull- ing out from competitions. This is very Taking up the challenge bad for cricket,” said Wettimuny who was serious when he advised the youngsters to from Central Province St. Sylvester’s stage to collect his award as the runner- Ridma of St. Servatius College, Matara away the final couple of awards. The pick the most suitable and fitting version College was picked as the best. St. up of Best Fielder. Trinity skipper Akila and Dulanjan Ruchiranga of Royal first was for the Runner-up award of the of cricket during his short yet eye-open- Mary’s College, Kegalle was chosen from Jayasundera was the winner of the main Panadura winning the Second and First Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year which ing words. Sabaragamuwa Province as the Jaffna award. Lumbini College leg-spinner Runner-up awards respectively. Kavindu was won by Dhananjaya de Silva of The presentation of awards began soon College cricketers all the way from North Prabath Jayasuriya collected his runner- Ashan Perera of Royal Panadura won Richmond College Galle. The entire hall after from the Emerging Schools catego- joined in to collect their award as the up award in the Best Bowler’s category. the Most Popular Cricketer award in the was filled with applause when Bhanuka ry. Risika Theekshana of Sri Devananda best team from Northern Region. Royal Right-arm leg spinner of Ananda College, Emerging category. Hemal Munaweera Rajapaksa’s name was called as the was the first to take the stage to take the Panadura comprising promising cricket- Sachithra Perera who picked up 116 wick- of Dharmaraja College Kandy was the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year who was runner-up award for the best fielder. The ers was awarded the trophy for the best ets during the 2010 season won the Best Second Runner-up of the Most Popular absent as he had to attend national duty. winner of this award was Isira Uditha school from Western Province. From the Bowler’s award. Sri Lanka Under-19 cap Cricketer All-Island. The First Runner- But Bhanuka conveyed his wishes to those Kumara of Royal College, Panadura. overall records St. Mary’s was named as Dhananjaya de Silva walked up to the up award went to Supun Nawaratne of who attended the ceremony and winners Royal Panadura went on to lead the runner-up of the Best Emerging Schools stage to collect his runner-up prize in the Thurstan College, Colombo while Royal of the night through a pre-recorded video awards tally by winning both the runner- category while Royal Panadura with a Best Batsman’s category. Former Royal skipper and Sri Lanka Under-19 opener as his younger brother Shanuka collected up and winner awards in the best bowler’s track record of eight wins and five draws skipper who captained Sri Lanka Under- Ramith Rambukwella emerged the win- the coveted prize on his behalf. category where Ruchira Thrindra Silva in 14 matches won the Best Team of 19s, Bhanuka Rajapaksa was then called ner in that category. Though the glittering show came to and Dushan Vimukthi were awarded emerging schools. up as the Best Batsman All-Island. Since Time was running out to give away an end with the giving away of the main respectively. Two national under-19 caps The awards for the best team in the Bhanuka was away in England with the the remaining main awards of the award the words of the chief guest still came on stage to collect the awards for international schools category were pre- Sri Lanka ‘A’ team his younger broth- night and Trinity College skipper validated the efforts of Bhanuka. Sidath the best batsman as Sanka Ramesh of sented soon afterwards. Gateway College, er Shanuka collected the award on his Akila Jayasundera was named the Best Wettimuny while his speech further went Moratu Vidyalaya emerged as the runner- Colombo were the runners-up while behalf. Imraz Rafi, the skipper of Zahira Captain of the 2010 season for guiding on to say the importance of maintaining a up. Promising batsman of Mahanama Lyceum International School, Wattala College, Colombo, won the runner-up his team towards an unblemished end. healthy gap between the coaches and par- College, Duleeka Tissakuttige won the won the main award. The focus straight award in the Best All-rounder category Dhananjana Seneviratne then walked ents of the players. best batsman’s award in the emerging cat- away shifted to the All-Island category while Dhananjaya de Silva came up to up to collect a special award given to the “During our days, our parents never egory. Tharindu Kaushal who came all the and the entire team of St. Sebastian’s the stage for the second time to collect his Most Promising International School spoke to us while at practices or after a way from Ratgama, Devapathiraja College College, Moratuwa were called up to the award as the Best All-rounder All-Island. Cricketer followed by another award match. Such discussions were left to be was awarded as the runner-up in the best stage to collect their award as runner- Awards for the International Schools given away to the Most Promising done at home. My family had three cricket- all-rounder category while Sanka Ramesh up of the Best Team category. With an were presented next. Mohamed Azhar School of the Year which was claimed ers and my mother never saw anyone of us swept his second award by emerging as impressive record of 10 wins and seven Samsudeen of Layton Park International, by Karandeniya Central. Sanka Ramesh playing while our father would sit under the best all-rounder. draws in 17 matches Trinity College, Ganitha Wickremasinghe of Lyceum of Moratu Vidyalaya was awarded the a tree and watch us play. Today I heard Teams from the Emerging category Kandy won the best all-island cricket Wattala and Dhananjaya Seneviratne Runner-up as the Emerging Schoolboy the situation is quite different. I urge the were rewarded next. Five of the best team award. of Gateway Rajagiriya were awarded Cricketer of the Year while Dupeeka parents to let the players play free. Let teams from differenct provinces were The individual awards from the All- third, second and winner awards respec- Tissakuttige of Mahanama won the them play in their own styles and perfect selected in that category. Sri Devananda Island category were given away and the tively in the Most Popular Cricketer cat- main award. The spotlight was drawn their techniques and become assets to Sri College, Ambalangoda was named as the wicketkeeper of S. Thomas’ College, Mt. egory. The most popular awards in the when the chief guest and other distin- Lanka cricket,” were Wettimuny’s valu- best school from Southern Province while Lavinia, Sachin Peiris walked up to the emerging schools followed with Sanjuka guished guests took the stage to give able words. .