Sri Lanka’s World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga presents the Observer SLT Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2021 glittering trophy to Navod Paranavithana of Mahinda College, Galle at last week’s Mega Show at the BMICH. From left are SLSCA President Thilak Waththuhewa, Editor-in-Chief, Sunday Observer, Dinesh Weerawansa, ANCL Chairman W. Dayaratne PC, Paranavithana (who won the grand title for the second successive year), ex-captain Ranatunga, CEO of SLT, Kiththi Perera, Secretary, Ministry of Mass Media, Jagath P. Wijeweera, CMO, Mobitel, Shashika Senerath and Education Ministry, Director, Health and Sports, Daya Bandara. Pic: Chinthaka Kumarasinghe
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Poisoned chalice, sour grapes or being around at the wrong time, ex-Sri Lanka cricket captain and one-time World Cup heart-throb Arjuna Ranatunga warned school cricketers of the evils of focusing on money while drawing a contrast to his own success without a cent in his pocket. He fired the warning shots and made the alarm-sounding remarks amid pin-drop silence at the Sunday Observer-SLT Mobitel School Cricket Awards and received a touching applause from hundreds of schoolboys and girls all aspiring to sport the Sri Lankan emblem on the cricket field.

Sadisha Rajapaksa of Royal College who was elected as the Most Popular School Cricketer for the year 2021was unable attend the Awards ceremony due to commitment with the U-19 Cricket squad preparing to meet the England U-19 team. Picture shows a representative receiving the coveted Award from Editor-in Chief Sunday Observer Dinesh Weerawansa on Behalf of Sadisha Rajapaksa

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.

The 43rd annual Observer SLT-Mobitel School Cricket Awards Ceremony concluded on a grand scale at the BMICH last night with Navod Paranavithana of Mahinda College, Galle and Nethmi Senaratne of Wadduwa Central being crowned as the Best School Boy and Girl Cricketer respectively. Here they are receiving their awards from Chief Guest, 1996 Cricket World Cup winning Sri Lanka Captain Arjuna Ranatunga. ANCL Chairman W. Dayaratne PC, Editor-in-Chief of Sunday Observer Dinesh Weerawansa, CEO of SLT Mobitel Kiththi Perera looks on among others. Pictures by Sulochana Gamage

SLT Mobitel and ANCL’s flagship Sunday newspaper, The Sunday Observer have teamed up again to reward the country’s outstanding school cricketers today. 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 2020 event and now the 2021 extravaganza.

The stage is set for the greatest extravaganza in local school cricket – the 43rd Observer SLT Mobitel Schools Cricketers of the Year 2021 which will be held at the BMICH, Colombo 7 commencing from 5.15 pm today. Prior to the commencement of the official program this evening, the super giant screen erected at the BMICH centre will screen the highlights of the 1996 ICC World Cup final between Sri Lanka and Australia won by the Lions.

SLT Mobitel and ANCL’s flagship Sunday newspaper, The Sunday Observer have teamed up again to reward the country’s outstanding school cricketers tomorrow. 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 2020 event and now the 2021 extravaganza.

Sadisha Rajapakse of Royal College, Colombo 7 and W.P. Nimesha Tharuni of Marapola MV, Veyangoda have been voted the Observer-SLT Mobitel Most Popular School Cricketers of the Year. Rajapaksa, who top scored with 66 runs off 77 balls with seven boundaries and captured 2 wickets for 17 runs for Sri Lanka under-19 in their fifth and final Youth One Day International against the touring England under-19 team at the SSC grounds on Friday, polled 21,000 votes in the final week’s voting which concluded yesterday.