Rohan Weerakkody, is perhaps the only schoolboy cricketer to win five titles in a single Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year. Yet, his 1987 glory was confined only to school cricket and failed to go beyond Sri Lanka youth level. In an exclusive interview from Laguna, Lusiana in the Philippines, Weerakkody said he has no regrets and was honoured to win those awards. “It was an honour to win five titles including the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year in a single event,” he said.

One of the promising cricketers of yesteryear who had been unfortunate not to go beyond the pinnacle of school cricket was Rohan Buultjens, who was adjudged Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year in 1981. The brilliant cricketer from St. Peter’s College, Colombo, was only the third cricketer to win the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year title after Ranjan Madugalle (1979 in the inaugural year) and Arjuna Ranatunga (second winner in 1980), both went on to captain Sri Lanka with distinction.

When the Observer-Mobitel School Cricketer series history is talked about, we cannot forget one great cricketer who has been a part of it, be it as a school batsman or a school captain. Most importantly, his gentlemanly qualities have been proved beyond doubt in every stage of his half a century contribution to the gentleman’s game. As a player and captain at school, club and at national level, his enormous qualities have been widely displayed for almost 50 years.

The 2020 Observer-Mobitel Most Popular Schoolgirl Cricketer of the Year Nimesha Wijesundara, the captain of Marapola Maha Vidyalaya, Minuwangoda said that she was delighted to climb on top after she finished runner-up last year. The 19-year-old lass from Minuwangoda in the Gampaha district was the runner up in the Observer-Mobitel Most Popular Schoolgirl Cricketer of the Year contest in 2019 when her team was ranked sixth among cricket playing girls schools in the country.