“September 19 was the happiest day of my life”
View(s):“Lasith Lakshan of St. Thomas’ College Matara who walked away with three awards at 35th Bata -Sunday Times Schoolboy Cricketer of the year awards night was jubilant to express his views on his achievement”
Lasith receiving one of his awards
“The September 19 was the happiest day of my life” said W.W. Lasith Lakshan of St. Thomas’ College Matara who walked away with three awards at the 35th Bata-the Sunday Times Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year awards night held at the Musaeus College Auditorium.
Lasith was named the Best Batsman, Best Allrounder and the Emerging Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year at this year’s Schoolboy Cricket Awards conducted by the Sunday Times and the Bata Shoe Company.
Lasith gained admission to grade six of St. Thomas’ College Matara where he learnt his ABC’s of the cricket game by coaches Imal Liyanage and Sisira Weerasinghe. He learnt the finer points of the game subsequently from coaches P.I.W. Jayasekera, D.P.M.C. Waidyarathna, Amila Witharana and Charith Palliyage, his coach at present.
It did not take long for his mentors to identify Lasith’s inherent talents and entrust him with the captaincy of STC Matara’s Under-13 Division I team in 2009,
W W Lasith Lakshsn
Under-15 Division I team in 2011, the Under-17 Division I teams in 2012 and 2013 and he leads the Under-19 cricket team this year.
He was a member of the Under-15 Southern Province cricket team in 2010 and 2011 and a member of the Sri Lanka Schools team that toured Malaysia in 2011. He was also member of the Southern Province Under-17 team and the Sri Lanka Schools Under-17 team which toured England in 2013. He is presently a member of the Southern Province Under-19 team as well as the only schoolboy cricketer from Matara to be included in the Sri Lanka Under-19 squad this year.
Lasith with his family and awards
Lasith is grateful to his teammates for their support which helped him score 1448 runs which included four centuries and five half tons, captured 55 wickets and hold on to 20 catches at the last Under-19 season which brought him in to contention for these awards.
Lasith has been supported at all times by his parents W.W. Nihal Ranjith and K. Chandralatha, younger brother Sandeepa Lakshan, the Principals and teachers of St. Thomas’ College Matara and the Old Thomians Cricket Club who together have helped him bring glory to his alma mater and Matara.
- Text and pictures by P.D. de Silva