Sri Lanka’s top order batsman Kusal Mendis, the Observer SLT Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year in 2013, has shown early form scoring two blistering half centuries in the qualifying round matches of the ICC World Cup T20 tournament now being played in Australia.
Having lost the opening qualifying round match to Namibia by 55 runs, Sri Lanka had to win their other two qualifying round matches against the UAE and the Netherlands if they were to advance to the Super 12 final round.
Sri Lanka then beat UAE by 79 runs. Batting first, Sri Lanka a modest 152 for 8 in 20 overs but that too was handsome enough as UAE was bowled out for 73 runs in 17.1 overs. Dushmantha Chameera (3 for 15), Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva (3 for 8) and Maheesh Theekshana (2 for 15) showed no mercy to the UAE batsmen.
In the decisive match against the Netherlands, of which the winners would advance to the Super 12 final round, Mendis played a decisive role as an opener. He knocked an explosive 79 runs off just 44 balls with a superb strike rate of 179.54.
He hammered five huge sixes and an equal number of fours to win the man of the match award as Sri Lanka made 162 for 6 in 20 overs. The Netherlands made 146 for 9 as opener Max O’Dowd carried his bat through the innings to remain unbeaten on 71 off 53 balls. Hasaranga bagged 3 for 28.
Sri Lanka, backed by three former Observer SLT Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketers in Mendis, Bhanuka Rajapakse and Charith Asalanka, will now play their first T20 World Cup Super 12 round match against Ireland in Hobart, Tasmania today (23). Sri Lanka’s other four Super 12 matches are against Australia (in Perth on Tuesday – 25), New Zealand (in Sydney on Saturday – 27), Afghanistan (in Brisbane on Nov. 1) and England (in Sydney on Nov. 5).
Meanwhile, the much looked forward to selections of the 44th Observer SLT Mobitel School Cricketers of Year will take place early next month followed by the Grand Finale scheduled for mid-December.
The 16-member selection committee, comprising top officials of the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA), Sri Lanka Umpires and Scorers Association and its Central and Southern Association will meet on November 2 to pick the 54 award winners, including the 44th Observer SLT Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of Year and the Schoolgirl Cricketer of Year.
They will be accompanied by the official of the batsman.com CEO Kumara Gamhewage, who will be the official statistics provider for the Observer SLT Mobitel School Cricketers of Year as well as the SLSCA. Gamhewage has closely been working with the Sunday Observer - ever since he formed the popular website which gives a complete picture on school cricket statistics.
The Most Popular winners of the 44th Observer SLT Mobitel School Cricketers of Year have already been found.
Dunith Wellalage of St. Joseph’s College emerged the Observer SLT Mobitel Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2022. Having completed a superb final season for St. Joseph’s, he climbed to the top most level, while still being a 19-plus schoolboy.
When the voting for the most popular contests concluded last month, Wellalage and Chushadi Kaushalya headed the respective Observer SLT Mobitel Most Popular Schoolboy and Schoolgirl Cricketers of the Year 2022 with convincing margins.
Sri Lanka Under-19 skipper Wellalage polled 44,564 votes to head the Observer SLT Mobitel Most Popular Schoolboy of the Year 2022 – 4,567 votes ahead of his closest contender Rusanda Gamage of St. Peter’s College with 39,997 votes.
Chushadi Kaushalya of Dharmapala Vidyalaya polled 40,077 votes to emerge the Observer SLT Mobitel Most Popular Schoolgirl Cricketer of the Year 2022, 3,965 votes ahead of Manudi Nanayakkara of Princess of Wales College Moratuwa. Nanayakkara polled 36,112 votes.
When having a look at past winners, it is on record that Lahiru Peiris, the St. Peter’s College captain of 2006, has won the prestigious Observer Schoolboy Cricketer on two successive occasions. He became the first Peterite to win the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest-All Island twice in 2004 and once again won the richest prize in school cricket in 2005.
Lahiru started playing cricket in 1999 and captained the under-13 and under-15 and 1st XI teams. In the final round match in the under-13 tournament Lahiru scored his first century 113 and was presented a special award and Colours from the Sri Lanka Schools Sports Council for his 2005 and 2006 performances in cricket.
All schoolboys dream of winning the Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year award. For over four decades, it has remained the most glorified title to win during a player’s school career. But how does it sound if a schoolboy were to be crowned three times with this dream title that has never happened.
Of the past 44 contests held since 1978/79, only seven have been extraordinary outstanding to win the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year title twice.
They are Arjuna Ranatunga of Ananda (1980 and 1982), Roshan Mahanama of Nalanda (1983 and 1984), Thilan Samaraweera of Ananda (1994 and 1995), Lahiru Peiris of St. Peter’s (2004 and 2005), Bhanuka Rajapakse of Royal (2010 and 2011), Charith Akalanka of Richmond (2015 and 2016) and Navod Paranavithana of Mahinda, Galle (2020 and 2021). Except for Ranatunga, all others have won in successive years.
Lahiru became the third Peterite to win the title with a difference. Although Rohan Buultjens (1981) and Kaushal Lokuarachchi (2001) became the first and second from St. Peter’s College to win the prestigious title, Lahiru Peiris became the first and the only Peterite so far to win the crown twice. He was a household name from 2003 to 2006, with rich harvests in successful seasons.
He first won the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year title in 2004. In the 2004-2005 season too, he let his willow do the talking as he was crowned Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year in 2005.
Even in his final year for St. Peter’s as captain, he stood a good chance of winning the title for the third time – a feat which no schoolboy has achieved so far.
But the elegant right-hand batsman, Lahiru Peiris was picked as the runner-up to Gihan Rupasinghe of Nalanda in the 2006 Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year contest.
Peiris was born on June 1, 1987 in Colombo. The most celebrated note in his school career was his match-saving defiant unbeaten century - 111 not out with 13 boundaries, for St. Peter’s in the 2006 ‘Big Match’ against their traditional rivals St. Joseph’s played at the P Sara Oval.
In the 2006 Battle of the Saints, St. Joseph’s elected to bat first and declared with a formidable total of 335 for 5. St. Peter’s in reply were dismissed for 193 and the Peterites were facing a big defeat as they were forced to follow-on.