The final countdown has begun for the local school cricket's most looked-forward to awards night! The mega final of the 2016 Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year will be held in exactly 16 days' time, maintaining the high traditions of the country's first school cricket awards show.

It was Sri Lanka’s World Cup victory in 1996 that made a revolution in local cricket and transformed the level of the game to a highly professional level. Beating Australia by seven wickets in the final played in Lahore on March 17, 1996 opened a new era in Sri Lanka cricket, taking the game to every corner of the country, generating tremendous public interest.

Every schoolboy cricketer has a common dream, right from the day they hold the bat or ball at junior under-13 level - to play for the national team one fine day! By the time they end their school career after their final year in first X1 team under-19 cricket, they will get one common signal about their destiny.

Two notable achievements by former Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year - Dinesh Chandimal and Thilan Samaraweera, were witnessed last week. Incidentally, both of them are proud products of Ananda College which has made a great contribution to Sri Lanka cricket by producing some sterling performances for the country at the highest level..