By M. Shamil Amit
Thomians allrounder Naweed Ghany is the Bata Sunday Times Most Popular All Island Schoolboy Cricket 2008. This feat came his way when he overtook its longstanding leader Haroon Mowjood in the final count which ended on July 10.

Ghany received a whopping 34,408 votes in the final week to accumulate 67,179 votes as against 48,317 to his rival Mowjood. At the end of the last weeks count Mowjood was having a healthy lead of over 9,000 but in the final he received only 6,294 votes. In fact it was Ghany who was trailing for the last four weeks with Mowjood having a lead of over 5,000 votes.

Meanwhile in the Outstation category it was an easy win for Ishan Athureliya of Dharmapla who finished on top having received 4,237 votes against 1,559 to Dinesh Chathuranga of Tissa Central Kalutara while Malith Silva of Gateway International School prevailed in the International School contest in a nail biting finish with Adhil Bakeer Marker of Asian International School. Both of them received over 6,000 votes in the final count with Malith ending on 13,488 votes to Adhil’s 13,215 which was a difference of 273 votes between them. Eighteen year old Naweed Ghany has been a member of the Thomian senior team for the last two years.

A right hand batsman and right arm bowler. He is a fine all rounder who has scored over 500 runs and taken over 70 wickets this season with a century against Wesley. Before joining S. Thomas’ he led the Colombo International School (CIS) in the year 2006. He was also adjudged the man of the match in the annual Royal-Thomian limited over encounter this year. Ishan Athureliya is a fourth year coloursman and was the deputy skipper of Dharmapala this year. A right hand batsman and the wicket keeper of the side. He accumulated over 800 runs this season which included a ton against Dharmarajah and seven half tons. Two of these were against Thurstan and the others being against Ananda, Prince of Wales, Isipatana, Mahinda and S. Thomas’.

Eighteen year old Malith Silva has been a consistent cricketer having won numerous awards since he began playing cricket at the tender age of 11. He played for the senior team when he was just 14 years and also led the Under 17 in the year 2005 and is the present captain of the Gateway International senior team. A left handed batsman and a right arm off spinner who has been contributing to his sides victories. He has made two tours abroad to India in 2005 and Malaysia in 2007.

All Island Contest

Naweed Ghany (S.Thomas’) 67,179
Haroon Mawjood (Royal) 48,317
Milan Fernando (S.Thomas) 14198
Dimuth Karunarathne (St.Joseph's) 5350
Udara Peiris (Ananda) 3441
Rayan Kern (Wesley) 2628
Navin Kavikara (D.S.S) 2269
S.M.Ashan Priyanjana (Nalanda) 922
Chirantha De Silva (Isipathana) 648
Madawa Warnapura Nalanda College 507
Outstation Contest
Ishan Thilina Athureliya (Dharmapala) 4237
R.A. Dinesh Chathuranga (Kaluthara Tissa) 1559
M.G. Tharaka Dushantha(STC- Matara) 524
Rasika Dilan (Bandaranaike Vid.GMP 310
Mohammed Feizal (St.Sylvester's) 243
Charitha Molligoda (Sri Sumangala ) 168
Malik Shamika (St.Francis, Kelaniya) 162
H.Anjana (Mahanama Navodaya MV) 128
P.K.Srinath Janapriya (Merril Kariyawasam) 96
Maduka Weerasinghe (Vidyartha) 111
International School Contest
Malith Silva (Gateway International) 13488
Adhil Bakeer Markar (Asian International) 13215
Adel Niyaz (Gateway International) 476
M.N.M.Fayaz Amal International 83
Shaharan Jifrey (Asian International) 29
Readers Prize winners:
1.Aruna Weerasinghe, 180/11, Pituwalgoda, Yakkala
2.Terrence Fernando, 84, Uswatte Circular Road, Moratuwa.
3.D. Weerapola, 34, Bullers Lane, Colombo 7

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