Only one count to go — Lasith stands tall
The long await to officially identify the winners has reached its destination as the penultimate results of the Dialog 4G-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2017 competition is unleashed.
The main contest, the All-Island Schools segment, is still the domain of Lasith Croosepulle of Maris Stella College Negombo, who takes his total count to 237276 with just one count to go. Lasith added 14293 combined votes during ended week, as he further strengthened his lead against second seed Navindu Nirmal of St. Aloysius College Galle, to 94135 from last week’s 80929, giving the leader a restful yet anxious week ahead.
Navindu added 1087 combined votes in the ended week to take his total count to 143141 and stands way far behind Lasith, who is assured of an obvious win unless a miracle takes place in the coming week, which is final. Mohamed Najath of Zahira College will finish off at third, where he has been standing for many weeks.
With a deficit of 1738, the Emerging Schools segment still remains open but it is being led by overall leader Pulitha Yasas of Sri Sumangala College Panadura, who has been leading right throughout. Pulitha added 766 combined votes during the ended week and took his total to 6351 while his closest challenger Prabash Maduranga of Siri Piyarathana Padukka obtained 142 combined votes to reach 4613. The final week looks very exciting for both these competitors.
The International Schools category too is as exciting with the deficit reading as 351 between the two competitors. Leader Tariq Haniff of Wycherley International School and Shimraz Shahil of Alethea International School are running close to each other, but the final week will be decisive for both.
Important
Coupons ran for 25 weeks in the Sunday Times, the two English dailies, the Daily Mirror and DailyFT, and the two Sinhala dailies, Daily Lankadeepa and Ada. The final coupon — No.26 — will appear in the Sunday Times issue of July 2. Online voting could be done through Dialog Axiata’s digital online voting system Portal to vote for the Most Popular Cricketer via www.dialog.lk/cricket. Both channels will be open until 12.00noon on Thursday, July 6. The count of week 25 of digital voting was monitored and approved by auditors Pricewaterhouse Cooper.
All-Island Schools
Lasith Croosepulle (Maris Stella College) 237276
Navindu Nirmal (St. Aloysius’ Galle) 143141
Mohamed Najath (Zahira College) 62608
Charana Nanayakkara (Thurstan College) 10511
Santhush Goonathilake (St. Peter’s College) 9397
Dinitha Basnayake (St. Benedict’s College) 7351
Romesh Nallaperuma (S. Thomas’ College) 6417
Nikesh Anjana (S. Thomas’ College) 1941
Helitha Vithanage (Royal College) 1848
Mohamed Rifaz (Presidents College) 1447
Emerging Schools
Pulitha Yasas (Sri Sumangala Panadura) 6351
Prabash Maduranga (Siri Piyaratana Padukka) 4613
Sahan Perera (Christ King Pannipitiya) 1099
Imesh Basnayake (St. Peter’s Gampaha) 457
Gimhana Dhanushka (Piliyandala Central) 130
Nipuna Ransika (P. de S. Kularatne MV) 98
Methushan Thilina (Kegalu Vidyalaya) 84
Suminda Lakshan (De La Salle Mutwal) 55
Raveen Yasas (Devapathiraja Rathgama) 44
Hirusha Mendis (Siddartha Central Balapitiya) 32
International Schools
Tariq Haniff (Wycherley International) 817
Shimraz Shahil (Alethea International) 526
Readers prizes go to: 1. Yogesh Fonseka, 78/3, Pethiyagoda, Gampaha, 2. H.D.P. Kithsiri, 384/E, Jaya Mawatha, Polpitimukalana, Kandana, 3. Madushani Fernando, 62, Pushparama Road, Pothupitiya, Wadduwa, 4. Sanjaya Prasanna Jayawickrama, ‘Sandaruwan’, Wawulagala, Baddegama.