Bata-TST: Pawan Dias draws the first blood in Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer

The first results of the 37th Bata-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2016 contest, which was kicked off on February 7, comes out this weekend with some well known schoolboy cricketers in fray. 

However, Pawan Dias of Royal College Panadura takes the honour in taking the lead of this year’s contest in the All-Island Schools category with a tally of 268 votes in the kickoff of the competition. 

He is 42 votes ahead of St. Peter’s College star player Lakshina Rodrigo, who has obtained 226 votes. 

Trinity College skipper Ravin Sayer, one of the key players for his team as well as the Sri Lanka Under-19s and a contender of last year’s contest, comes in at third with 204 votes. 

Up in the mark are Malshan Rodrigo of St. Joseph’s College, Pasindu Sooriyabandara of Royal College Colombo and Lahiru Thambawita of Holy Cross College, who have over 100 votes each respectively. 

Top names in the ongoing Schools Under-19 Division I Tournament are well within reach to become close contenders for the Bata-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year crown from the seventh place to the bottom. 

Among them are players from top cricket plating schools that are better than the other in different aspects.
 
However the margins are not that big as the competition is just one week old. 

The composure could change as the competition progresses with more keen readers and supporters of players joining in to support them. 

So far only the name of Madawa Fernando from De La Salle College Mutwal appears in the Emerging Schools category and 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. 

All-Island Schools

Pawan Dias (Royal College Panadura) 268

Lakshina Rodrigo (St. Peter’s College) 226

Ravin Sayer (Trinity College) 204

Malshan Rodrigo (St. Joseph’s College) 174

Pasindu Sooriyabandara (Royal College Colombo) 141

Lahiru Thambawita (Holy Cross College) 103

Ravindu Kodituwakku (S. Thomas’ College) 77

Geeshath Panditharathne (Royal College Colombo) 74

Charana Nanayakkara (Thurstan College) 49

Kamindu Mendis (Richmond College) 47

Geethal Fernando (St. Benedict’s College) 38

Yohan Mendis (S. Thomas’ College) 37

Kavindu Bandara (Nalanda College) 35

Nipun Samarasinghe (St. Joseph’s College) 35

Charith Asalanka (Richmond College) 33

Thulina Dilshan (St. Benedict’s College) 26

Lasith Embuldeniya (Royal College Colombo) 22

Sammu Ashan (Ananda College) 19

Emerging Schools

Madawa Fernando (De La Salle College Mutwal) 5