Thambawita likely to take up the challenge
Pawan Dias of Royal College Panadura continues to be at the top as the leader of the All-Island Schools category in the fifth week running in the 37th Bata-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2016. However Lahiru Thambawita of Holy Cross College Kalutara has started to make inroads. Pawan expanded his lead to 1979, by adding 497 votes to his tally, but by the ended week Lahiru received of 521 votes to take his count to 935 and claim the second slot.
Pawan leads Lahiru by 1044 votes and by the looks of it the competition could become an intense battle between the two in weeks to come. This initiative has forced Lakshina Rodrigo of St. Peter’s College to retreat to the third place but he too looks well set to become the third force with his tally of 776 votes. Ravin Sayer of Trinity College and Malshan Rodrigo of St. Joseph’s College remain unchanged at fourth and fifth spots sans impressive addition to their totals.
Sammu Ashan of Ananda College makes a sudden leap by two spots as Kevin Perera of Maris Stella College Negombo enters the fray ahead of bottom-placed Lasith Embuldeniya of Royal College Colombo. Madawa Fernando of De La Salle College Mutwal gets a challenger in the Emerging Schools category with the entry of Dilshan Madushanka of Siri Piyarathana Central Padukka. Nevertheless Madawa remains on top with a tally of 568 votes and leads the new entrant by 493 votes. The International Schools category is yet to kick off.
Coupons of the 37th Bata-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2015 will appear on Wijeya Newspaper’s dailies, the Daily Mirror and Lankadeepa and also its weekend English issue, the Sunday Times and the Sinhala weekly Deshaya. Readers will be able to send in as much as coupons in favour of their favourite schoolboy cricketer until mid May. Readers’ prizes go to: 1. Christine Imch, 50/4, Gunasinghe Gardens, Tennekumbura, Kandy, 2. N.W.L.A. Fernando, 217/12, Jayasinghe Place, Hendala, Wattala. 3. Terrence Fernando, 84, Uswatte Circular Road, Moratuwa, 4. Niluke Cooray, 17, Duwa Pansala Road, Kalutara South.
All-Island Schools
Name School
Pawan Dias Royal College Panadura 1979
Lahiru Thambawita Holy Cross College 935Lakshina Rodrigo St. Peter’s College 776
Ravin Sayer Trinity College 432
Malshan Rodrigo St. Joseph’s College 303
Pasindu Sooriyabandara Royal College Colombo 168
Ravindu Kodituwakku S. Thomas’ College 87
Gishath Panditharathne Royal College Colombo 77
Himasha Hashen Dharmapala Pannipitiya 74
Geethal Fernando St. Benedict’s College 60
Charana Nanayakkara Thurstan College 59
Yohan Mendis S. Thomas’ College 59
Kamindu Mendis Richmond College 48
Kavindu Bandara Nalanda College 46
Sammu Ashan Ananda College 44
Sachinda Gamadikari Maris Stella College 43
Charith Asalanka Richmond College 39
Nipun Samarasinghe St. Joseph’s College 35
Thulina Dilshan St. Benedict’s College 28
Kevin Perera Maris Stella Negombo 23
Lasith Embuldeniya Royal College 22
Emerging Schools
Name School
Madawa Fernando De La Salle College Mutwal 325
Dilshan Madushanka Siri Piyarathana Padukka 75