‘Mother of all shows’ rewards school cricket talent
The 43rd annual Observer SLT-Mobitel School Cricket Awards Ceremony concluded on a grand scale at the BMICH on Tuesday night with Navod Paranavithana of Mahinda College, Galle and Nethmi Senaratne of Wadduwa Central being crowned as the Best School Boy and Girl Cricketers respectively. The school boys and girls who performed in 2021 school cricket season received their awards from Chief Guest, 1996 Cricket World Cup winning Sri Lanka Captain Arjuna Ranatunga.
After Ranjan Madugalle in 1979, Ranatunga is only the second winner of the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year and the first to win it twice in 1980 and 1982. Former Sri Lankan Skipper Ranatunga said that unlike those days today female cricketers too have a very good future from the school. This is because the women’s cricket internationally has pick up very fast.
The World Cup winning captain further said that through there are several thousand schools playing school cricket but only two votes are given for them at The Sri Lanka Cricket AGM. However there are some clubs that even though play cricket but they have been given two votes. He also said that is high time that the step motherly treatment to evade from the Sri Lanka Cricket to bring Sri Lanka cricket to right track. Ranatunga also said that school cricket is the main reason for and to produce top class players to international level and school cricket should be nearest at all coast .
For the first time in its 43-year-old history, this is the first time that a calendar year is hosting two Mega Shows as the postponed 42nd Observer SLT Mobitel Schools Cricketers of the Year 2020 was held last April.
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic threatening to disrupt all events worldwide for almost two years, the Sunday Observer and its principal sponsor SLT Mobitel were extremely lucky to beat all overwhelming odds to host both the shows. Hence, the SLT Mobitel gave its financial backing for the 15th successive year, the Sunday Observer continues its SLT Mobitel School Cricketers of the Year uninterrupted.