U-19 Cricket: Emerging Ransika takes the top award

Nipun Ransika, a genuine left-arm fast bowler from P. de S. Kularatne Maha Vidyalaya became the Dialog 4G-the Sunday Times Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2017, mainly for his contribution to the Sri Lanka Under-19 team in the recent times. 

Still a youth of 17 years, Ransika hails from the southern city of Galle and accomplished a rare achievement of becoming the first schoolboy cricketer in history representing an Emerging School to bag the main title. 

The selection process of the topmost schoolboy cricketer of the island was held at Hotel Galadari in Colombo last Wednesday (17) by a erudite selection panel headed by cricket expert Jayantha Seneviratne who needs no introduction, as far cricket is concerned.  

As usual the process was a hectic exercise, of course, for the 18 members of the panel which had experts of the game and representatives from Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA) and Umpires' Association as well. 

Under Seneviratne's versatile leadership, the panel also included former prominent cricketers, who are presently holding top positions in cricket administration. 

As it is done annually all the best performers were considered in all departments in the categories of All-Island Schools and Emerging Schools in addition to looking out for the best team overall and teams that did well from respective regions. 

Performances of the Singer Schools Under-19 Cricket Tournaments, traditional fixtures and international commitments were considered during the selection process. 

Now Nipun Ransika's style of bowling and commitment may come as blessings for Ransika to pave an early passage to the national main grid. 

His recent performances as a left-arm paceman, who has been among wickets at international level, made Ransika an easy choice for the selectors to name him the main award winner. 

In addition he won the Emerging Schools best bowler award. Of course the final verdict was reached by the selection panel after serious and lengthy discussions. 

With an year of First XI cricket left in him, Ransika may have to forego his role in the school team to gear up for the upcoming ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2018 to be held in New Zealand during the months of January and February. 

Coming second best to Ransika is Nipun Dananjaya Perera of St. Joseph Vaz College Wennappuwa, whose name was on the top among many categories and the winner of the All-Island Best Allrounder. 

The performers of the All-Island Schools category was such that selecting the best among them took an extra effort to those in the panel. Dilum Sudeera of Karandeniya Central College, who won the Emerging Schools Best Allrounder and runner-up award in Best Bowler, was picked as the Emerging Schoolboy Cricketer of 2017. 

Wanitha Wanninayake of St. Anne's College Kurunegala was named the runner-up award winner of the main Emerging title. 

All-in-all 35 winners and runners-up were selected during the process which lasted for hours. 

As it happens annually, Dialog 4G-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2017 has done the justification of the talents of these youngsters who showcased their talents locally as well as internationally representing Sri Lanka Under-19s. 

The talents of all schoolboy cricketers were highly considered and scrutinised before being aptly picked by a large selection panel of experts, headed by Jayantha Seneviratne. 

Others who contributed with their expertise were Carlton Bernadus, Aubrey Kuruppu, Upul Sumathipala, Lakshman Ranasinghe, SLSCA officials Sarathchandra Silva (President), Kapila Jayalath (Secretary), Jagath Senaratne (Vice President), Kamal Indrajith (U-19 Tournament Secretary), Dilshan de Silva (U-19 Selector), Umpires' Association officials Sirosha Gunathilaka (President), Sena Nandaweera, Thanum Junkeer, D.M.M.D. Dissanayake, Saman de Silva, Darshana Perera and U.G. Saman. 

The statistics for selection was provided by Batsman.com run by Kumara Gamhewage while the coordinating was done by Ajit Bodhinagoda.