Lakshan begins his gallop
Akila Lakshan of Royal College Panadura clearly indicated what he is up to, by expanding the lead and going past the 800 mark but Randev Pathirana of Royal College Panadura has risen from the ashes. Pathirana began his quest as tenth in the list with mer 151 votes, but as the second week’s results are released, he has raced to the second slot in the All-Island Schools category of the 35th Bata-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2014.
Only Lakshan is ahead of Pathirana with an advantage of 288 votes but the contest is still open and as weeks progress it could become anybody’s platter. Overall leader Lakshan added 311 votes to his existing tally as he gained 809 at the end of second week. His challenger Pathirana took his tally to 521 after adding 370 votes, the most received for this week.
Danushka Lahiru of Vidyaloka Vidyalaya Galle added 102 more votes to his tally as he reached 391 overall at the end of the second week in the Emerging Schools category. The number of contestants remains the same, as five without any changes in the order. Others in the race, Lahiru Vimukthi of Sri Sumangala Panadura, Harsha Rajapakse of Rahula Matara, Lasitha Lakshan of St. Thomas’ Matara and Kalana Hasanga of Rahula Matara follow one after another respectively.
The interesting category of all, the International Schools, is turning out to be an exciting one with two new names making the entry. Rasanjana Mallikaarachchi of Lyceum Nugegoda, who began last week as a lone ranger with 143 votes, has added 137 to his tally which has reached 280 overall. But he has a threat in Romesh Madushan of Leighton Park who entered the fray in a bang with 250 votes. Farshath Fazal, the second entrant has 43 votes to his name.
Coupons of the 35th Bata-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2014 will appear on Wijeya Newspaper’s dailies, the Daily Mirror and Lankadeepa and also its weekend English issue, the Sunday Times. Readers will be able to send in as much as coupons in favour of their favourite schoolboy cricketer until end of May.
