They shone brighter than stars in the sky
They danced along the Nelum Pokuna aisle and some of those damsels who swayed to the rhythm were as good as those dancers who kept up in good spirit during the first half of the proceedings.
Why? Because the Sunday Times and Dialog 4-G had made this their day to rejoice in a cricketing sense. They brought the best of those in school cricket on to one platform and the award winners were selected pure on merit.
The man of the day was fast bowler Nipun Ransika. Earlier in the day he won the award for the Best Bowler in the Emerging Schools category. Nipun Dananjaya Perera of St. Joseph Vaz College Wennappuwa, who won the All-Island Best Allrounder award, became second best to Ransika.
In the All-Island Schools category, Ravindu Rashantha of Dharmasoka College Ambalangoda emerged the Best Fielder, while the duo from St. Aloysius’ College Galle — Navindu Nirmal and Hareen Buddhila Weerasinghe — won the awards for the Best Wicketkeeper and Best Bowler respectively. The Best Batsman award went to Pathum Nissanka of Isipathana College while Kasun Abeyratne of Thurstan College won the Best Captain’s award with his team becoming the Best Team.
Those who won the Runner-up award in that segment are Santhush Gunathilake of St. Peter’s College (Best Fielder), Dushan Guruge of Maris Stella College (Best Wicketkeeper), Naveen Gunawardene of Thurstan College (Best Bowler), Ashen Bandara of
St. Aloysius’ College (Best Batsman) and Charana Nanayakkara of Thurstan College (Best Allrounder). Richmond College Galle became the second best All-Island team.
Dilum Sudeera of Karandeniya Central College became the Emerging Schoolboy Cricketer 2017 while Wanitha Wanninayake of St. Anne’s College Kurunegala, who went on to become the Best Batsman, became the runner-up of the main award. Sudeera also won the award for the Best Allrounder and became the Best Bowler runner-up as Ishara Maduwantha of Karandeniya Central won the award for Best Fielder. St. Anne’s College Kurunegala became the Best Emerging Team while St. Thomas’ College Matara was the runner-up. Among those who won runner-up award are Kavindu Irosh of St. Sebastian’s College Katuneriya (Best Fielder), Lahiru Thambavita of Holy Cross College Kalutara (Best Batsman) and Nipuna Deshan of Sri Sumangala College Panadura (Best Allrounder). Rajasinghe MMV Hanwella won the award for Up and Coming Team while Sri Sumangala College Panadura (Western), Rahula College Matara (Southern), Vidyartha College Kandy (Central), Bandarawela Central College (Uva), St. Sebastian’s College Katuneriya (North Western), Jaffna Central College (Northern) and Dudley Senanayake MMV Tholangamuwa (Sabaragamuwa) were awarded as Best Teams from their respective provinces.
Nipun Ransika from P. de S. Kularathne Maha Vidyalaya, Ambalangoda, received the award for Dialog 4G-the Sunday Times Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2017 from former Test captain, Marvan Atapattu who graced the awards ceremony as the Chief Guest. Also in picture (L-R) Ameen Izzadeen, the Sunday Times Deputy Editor and Editor, International Desk, Shayam Majeed, Group Chief Corporate Officer of Dialog Axiata, Oshara Panditharathna, President of SLSCA, Supun Weerasinghe, the Group Chief Executive, Dialog Axiata PLC, S.R.. Pathiravithana, Deputy Editor, Sports of the Sunday Times and Asanga Priyadarshana, Vice President and Head of Business, Mobile Telecommunications of Dialog Axiata
Nipun Dananjaya Perera of St. Joseph Vaz College Wennappuwa, the runner up Dialog 4G-the Sunday Times Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2017 is flanked by Chief Guest Marvan Atapattu (2nd L) and Supun Weerasinghe, the Group Chief Executive, Dialog Axiata PLC (2nd R). Others in the picture are (from left) Oshara Panditharathna, President of SLSCA and S.R. Pathiravithana, Deputy Editor, Sports of the Sunday Times
Dilum Sudeera of Karandeniya Central College receives the Dialog 4G-the Sunday Times Emerging Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2017 award from Chief Guest Marvan Atapattu while Shayam Majeed, Group Chief Corporate Officer of Dialog Axiata (L) and Supun Weerasinghe, the Group Chief Executive, Dialog Axiata PLC (R) look on
Chief Guest Marvan Atapattu presents Wanitha Wanninayake of St. Anne’s College Kurunegala, the runner-up Dialog 4G-the Sunday Times Emerging Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2017 award. Others in the picture (from left) are S.R. Pathiravithana, the Deputy Editor, Sports of the Sunday Times, Supun Weerasinghe, the Group Chief Executive, Dialog Axiata PLC and Asanga Priyadarshana, Vice President and Head of Business, Mobile Telecommunications of Dialog Axiata
Most Popular Awards – All Island Schools
Lasith Croosepulle of Maris Stella College Negombo receives the award for Dialog 4G-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2017 from Supun Weerasinghe, the Group Chief Executive of Dialog Axiata PLC, accompanied by S.R. Pathiravithana, the Deputy Editor, Sports of the Sunday Times
Supun Weerasinghe, the Group Chief Executive of Dialog Axiata presents the first runner-up award of the All-Island Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2017 to Navindu Nirmal of St. Aloysius’ College Galle watched by S.R. Pathiravithana, the Deputy Editor, Sports of the Sunday Times
Supun Weerasinghe, the Group Chief Executive of Dialog Axiata presents the second runner-up award of the All-Island Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2017 to Mohamed Najath of Zahira College. Accompanying Weerasinghe is S.R. Pathiravithana, the Deputy Editor, Sports of the Sunday Times
Most Popular Awards – Emerging Schools
Shayam Majeed, the Group Chief Corporate Officer of Dialog Axiata presents the Most Popular Emerging Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2017 award to Prabash Madurange of Siri Piyarathana MMV Padukka, watched by Ameen Izzadeen, the Deputy Editor and Editor of International Desk of the Sunday Times
Pulitha Yasas Sarathchandra of Sri Sumangala College Panadura is flanked by Ameen Izzadeen, the Deputy Editor and Editor of International Desk of the Sunday Times (R) and by Shayam Majeed, the Group Chief Corporate Officer of Dialog Axiata (L) after receiving his award
Sahan Perera of Christ King College Pannipitiya became the Most Popular Emerging Schoolboy Cricketer second runner-up. He receives the award from Ameen Izzadeen, the Deputy Editor and Editor of International Desk of the Sunday Times, watched by Shayam Majeed, the Group Chief Corporate Officer of Dialog Axiata
All Island Schools – Best Allrounder
Thisara Kasthuriarachchi, Head, Prepaid Mobile Business, Dialog Axiata, presents the Best Allrounder award to Nipun Dananjaya Perera of St. Joseph Vaz College Wennappuwa, watched by Sirosha Gunathilake
Charana Nanayakkara of Thurstan College, receives the Best Allrounder runner-up award from Sirosha Gunathilake and Thisara Kasthuriarachchi
All Island Schools – Best Bowler
Jayantha Seneviratne and Carlton Bernadus present the Best Bowler award to Hareen Buddhila Weerasinghe of St. Aloysius’ College Galle
Naveen Gunawardene of Thurstan College won the runner-up award for Best Bowler. He is presented the award by Jayantha Seneviratne
All Island Schools – Best Fielder
Ravindu Rashantha de Silva of Dharmasoka College Ambalangoda, receives the Best Fielder award from Jayantha Seneviratne
Jayantha Seneviratne (Chairman, Selection Panel) and Carlton Bernadus (Secretary, Selection Panel) presents the Best Fielder runner-up award to Santhush Gunathilake
Emerging Schools – Best Allrounder
Dilum Sudeera is the Best Allrounder from Emerging Schools and he receives his award from Dilshan de Silva, Manjula Vaas and J.A.K.S. Indrajith
Manjula Vaas presents the Best Allrounder runners-up ward to Nipuna Deshan Fernando of Sri Sumangala College Paanadura
Emerging Schools – Best Bowler
Star of the day, Nipun Ransika of P. de S. Kularatne MV, receives the award for the Best Bowler from Jagath Senarathna, who is apparently the principal of his school, watched by Kapila JayalathKarandeniya Central’s Dilum Sudeera receives runner-up award for Best Bowler from Upul Sumathipala, Jagath Senarathna and Kapila Jayalath (Pix by Amila Gamage and Ranjith Perera)
