While Thurstan skipper Sajeewa Salgado still maintains his lead in the All-Island category of the Bata-the Sunday Times Most Popular Cricketer of the Year Competition this year, Sasindu Perera of St. John’s College Panadura remains as the top contender in the Emerging Schools category of contest. Sasindu, the skipper of St. John’s Panadura has been a stalwart to his team during the five seasons he represented the 1st XI team. Playing in his fifth and final year for the school team, Sasindu has gathered 352 runs in five matches which also include four tournament games.
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| Sasindu Perera |
His leadership skills apart from being a prominent all-rounder in the team has guided S. John’s Panadura to four outright wins in the tournament games of the ongoing inter-school Division III cricket competition.
Sasindu is a left-hand top order batsman and a leading left-arm spinner for his team. From the total of 352 runs, Sasindu scored his career best in 1st XI cricket by hitting a well composed 172 against hometown rivals Mahanama Panadura while scoring 93 against St. Mary’s Matugama and 63 against Royal College Horana in tournament games. So far with his left-arm spins, Sasindu has captured 25 scalps with best figures of 5 for 25 against Sri Palee Vidyalaya Horana.
Last year he was able to score nearly 500 runs and capture over 50 wickets with his all-round capabilities. This season Sasindu has been a great contributor towards guiding St. John’s Panadura to the second round of the Division III schools cricket tournament after his team emerged champions of the first round from four games. Sasindu who averages 70.4 with the bat also played for Panadura Sports Club during the concluded Sri Lanka Cricket Under-23 Inter-Club season as a left-arm spinner.
Coming back to the main competition Thurstan skipper Salgado strengthened his authority by gaining a massive lead of 5440 votes as he maintains his lead for the tenth consecutive week in the Bata-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2012 competition. Maris Stella skipper Angelo Jayasinghe still remains at his position at number two but De Mazenod all-rounder Shiran Anuruddhika made a sudden surge to the third place from the fifth position. As a result Panadura Royal team-mates Madhawa Fernando and Charith Ruchiranga moved down a place respectively while the rest remain the same.
St. John’s Panadura skipper and all-rounder Sasindu happens to maintain his lead in the Emerging Schools category as Shehan Deelaka of Piliynandala Central and Mohamed Shilmy of St. Anthony’s Panadura are still following behind. The International Schools category as usual is the most talked about from all three competitions as Lakshan Kodagoda of Gateway managed to retain his position regained last week. Kodagoda’s closest rival Nishan Perera of Lyceum International has all the possibility of spurring the heat of the competition in the coming weeks. To make the competition more interesting readers can send in as many coupons as they wish until May 23.
All-Island Schools
Player Team
Sajeewa Salgado Thurstan College 8914
Angelo Jayasinghe Maris Stella College 3474
Shiran Anuruddhika De Mazenod College 2346
Madhawa Fernando Royal College Panadura 1950
Charith Ruchiranga Royal College Panadura 1530
Lakshan Edirisinghe Zahira College 716
Kavindu Ashan Royal College Panadura 592
Dishan Dissanayake St. Joseph’s College 321
Sachin Peiris S. Thomas’ College 268
Thanusha Jayawardane St. Peter’s College 234
Jason Perera St. Benedict’s College 126
Shehan Dilasri Maris Stella College 116
Emerging Schools
Sasindu Perera St. John’s College Panadura 920
Shenal Deelaka Piliyandala Central 447
Mohamed Shilmy St. Anthony’s Panadura 258
Tharindu Guruge Presidents College Kotte 246
Samitha Ratnasuriya Seethawaka National School 9
Aruna Dharmasena Sri Sumangala Panadura 9
Anas Mohamed Azhar College Kandy 2
International Schools
Lakshan Kodagoda Gateway International 17128
Nishan Perera Lyceum Nugegoda 15974
Shehan Hettiarachchi Royal Institute 3895
Amjad Ifthikar Leighton Park 1583
Readers’ prizes go to: 1. Christine Inch, 50/4, Gunasinghe Gardens, Tennekumbura, Kandy. 2. Janani Navoda, 95/1/2, 1st Lane, Bandaranayakapura, Indigolla, Gampaha. 3. K.A.J.R. Fernando 40, Farm Road, Mattakkuliya. 4. R.R.
Bopage, 362/A/2/1, Hamuhena, Udupila North, Delgoda. |
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