Randev keeps gaining momentum

Randev Pathirana of Royal College Colombo is forging ahead. Randev, who comes out after three days of hard work at the 135th Royal-Thomian expanded his lead with a massive collection. Randev’s tally reached 17477 by the ninth week of the 35th Bata-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2014 as he continues to lead the All-Island Schools segment. From last week his progress was boosted by an addition of 3550 votes and stands 1644 votes ahead of Lahiru Wickramasinghe of De Mazenod College Kandana.

Lahiru, on the other hand also had a wonderful week. He managed to record the highest number of votes for the concluded week, by gathering 4123. He is 9022 votes ahead of the overall third, Akila Lakshan of Royal College Panadura. Lakshan who led this segment during the opening couple of weeks may find it difficult to catch up with Randev and Lahiru, unless he puts up a valiant effort.

The existing list of contenders in the All-Island segment will be published only up to March 30 or two more weekends. From April 6, only the top ten will be published until the deadline, which is end of May.

Danushka Lahiru of Vidyaloka Vidyalaya Galle continues to top the Emerging Schools category while his closest rival, Lahiru Vimukthi of Sri Sumangala College Panadura too continues to remain at second, with a healthy deficit. After many weekends Romesh Madushan of Leighton Park manages to retain his place as the leader of the International Schools segment, which has been an interesting category. The leadership fluctuated between Romesh and Rasanjana Mallikarachchi of Lyceum Nugegoda during the recent seven weeks but for a moment the movement has frozen.

Romesh added 2543 votes to his tally which moves up to 7988 and the lead against Rasanjana has expanded to 3641. Rasanjana had a bad week and managed to add just 236 votes to his tally, which comes up to 4347. Coupons of the 35th Bata-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2014 will appear on Wijeya Newspaper’s dailies, the Daily Mirror and Lankadeepa and also its weekend English issue, the Sunday Times. Readers will be able to send in as much as coupons in favour of their favourite schoolboy cricketer until end of May.