Another landmark in Sri Lanka's sports history

Another landmark in Sri Lanka's sports history will be celebrated in grand fashion as the country’s first-ever school cricket awards ceremony marks its 40th anniversary. It will be a red-letter day in local cricket as the much looked forward to finale of the 40th Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year contest will be held at the Grand Ballroom of Colombo Hilton, commencing at 5.30 pm today.

There is no better person than the first-ever recipient of the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year title in 1978/79 to grace this occasion as the chief guest – the Chief Match Referee of the International Cricket Council (ICC), Ranjan Madugalle.

Going down memory lane, one could find that it was merely months just after leading the Reid Avenue boys at the centenary Royal-Thomian Cricket encounter in 1979, that Madugalle had been adjudged the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year. In the same year, Madugalle made his Sri Lanka ODI debut at the 1979 ICC World Cup held in England. Born on April 22, 1959, the former Royal, NCC and Sri Lanka captain, is one of the most technically accomplished batsmen that Sri Lanka has ever produced.

Flashback: When present Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal was adjudged Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year in 2009.

Giving that ‘smart connection’ to the Mega Show as the proud sponsor for the 11th successive year is Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel. Its Chief Executive Officer Nalin Perera, under the directions of the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Telecom and SLT Mobitel P.G. Kumarasingha, has played a key role towards the success of the event during the past decade.

Chairman of the ANCL, Krishantha Cooray has inspired the organizers with his dynamic leadership as the country’s oldest school cricket awards show marks its four decades of resounding success. Sri Lanka Cricket, headed by former Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala MP, and Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA), under the presidency of Oshara Panditharathna, too have encouraged the organizers to foster next generation cricketers.

Madugalle complemented the Lake House and the Sunday Observer for its role in recognizing the outstanding performances of schoolboy cricketers from an era which did not have an organized inter-school tournament structure or a school cricket awards ceremony.

The ICC’s Chief Match Referee said he was honoured and privileged to win the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year award at its inaugural show in 1979. “We even didn’t know that there was such an award on offer. We played traditional friendly matches and thoroughly enjoyed the game, not for a competition or personal glory”, Madugalle said in a recent interview.

“It gives great feeling to schoolboy cricketers to know that their hard work is appreciated at the end of the season. Undoubtedly, it is a great inspiration and a satisfaction to feel that your performances are recognized. It is not merely for individual glory but your performances as a team. It was great for the Sunday Observer to recognize the achievements of school teams and their players for the past four decades”, Madugalle said.

Sri Lanka school cricket chief, Oshara Panditharathna , said the Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year contest has rendered a yeoman service from the days there had not been an official inter-school Under-19 cricket tournament.

“The Sunday Observer had begun to recognize the achievements of schoolboy cricketers some 40 years ago, during an era where there had been only traditional friendly matchers for first X1 cricketers. It has been a commendable job by the Sunday Observer.” The SLSCA President, who is also the Principal of Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Pannipitiya, said. “Since the launching of the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year awards ceremony, a couple of more awards ceremonies for schoolboy cricketers have been introduced. That is a positive sign because it’s the outstanding schoolboy cricketers who would ultimately benefit from these events. Winning an award is a great inspiration for the emerging young cricketers,” he said.

He paid a rich tribute to the Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year contest for recognizing not only the players but also the school coaches and masters in charge, stating that they render a commendable job, making immense sacrifices. “Even before even we had thought of appreciating their efforts, the Sunday Observer had come forward to appreciate their contributions,” added the SLSCA chief.

Sri Lanka’s world cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga, who had won the top award in 1980 and 1982, had said that winning the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year or any other major award at the Mega Show is a life-time experience for any cricketer. “You may go places and win many other awards at higher levels subsequently, but an award won at Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year event remains the most memorable in any cricketer’s life,” said Ranatunga.

That is precisely why that most people, especially schoolboy cricketers and their supporters, believe that the Obsever-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year title would elevate outstanding schoolboy cricketers a giant leap forward towards their ultimate dream of representing Sri Lanka national team. Undoubtedly, there are plenty of reasons to believe so as most past winners have represented Sri Lanka national team, merely months after their crowning glory. Hence, winning at least a category award at the Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year contest has remained the dream of every schoolboy cricketer for the past 40 years.

Almost all Sri Lanka national teams since the 1979 World Cup have been studded with Observer Schoolboy Cricketer stars. Even the present national team has three Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year main title winners - skipper Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella and Kusal Mendis, who had won the Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year awards in 2009, 2012 and 2013 respectively. Managing the present Sri Lanka team is yet another main award winner in Asanka Gurusinha, who had emerged Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year in 1985 when he was representing Nalanda. “It is not an award that everybody could win. One has to perform exceptionally well and be consistent right throughout a season to win that – work really hard to reach the pinnacle of school career,” says Gurusinha.

Among the galaxy of stars who had graduated to the big league through the 40-year-old contest are the world’s highest wicket taker in Tests Muttiah Muralitharan, the most valuable player in Sri Lanka’s 1996 world cup triumph Sanath Jayasuriya, former Sri Lanka captains Roshan Mahanama, Marvan Atapattu and former Sri Lanka all-rounder turned ICC Elite Panel Umpire Kumar Dharmasena.

Whatever the outcome of the 40th anniversary edition would be, one thing is certain – that the 2018 Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year would unveil a few more future Sri Lanka champions!