Peterite Sachin still leads as others eye top position
36th Bata-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2015
So began the competition to heat up. Last week St. Peter’s College’s Sachin Dalpethado turned tables by becoming the leader and this week it seems that he will have to work hard to maintain his position. As the sixth week of the 36th Bata-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the year 2015 contest comes to an end; Sachin has gained two close rivals to push along with. Himesha Ranganath of Royal College Panadura, who held the leadership in the first three weeks, now has been pushed down to fourth. He was second last week and with St. Joseph’s College all-rounder Aravinda Akurugoda stepping on the gas, he had to bow down. Aravinda moved to second from third. The biggest surprise for the week was the progress of Malinga Amarasinghe of Nalanda College. Malinga was 14th last week with a mere number of votes but a staggering addition of 1410 within a week pushes him up by 11 places. St. Joseph’s College skipper Pathum Madushanka remains at fifth, forcing last year’s winner Randev Pathirana of Royal College Colombo to sixth. The remaining contestants are yet to reach the 900-vote mark and with 10 more weeks on a lot can be expected from the bottom-seeds.
In the Emerging Schools category Nipun Malinga of Vidyaloka College Galle and Udith Dilsara of St. Peter’s College Negombo remain at their respective slots from last week. The deficit between the two rivals has lessened a bit than last week. Shimraz Shahill of Alethea International was the sole runner in the International Schools category for weeks but from this week he is not alone. Joining him is Sahan Thennakoon of Lyceum International Panadura, who can be a threat to the leader.
Coupons of the 36th Bata-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2015 will appear on Wijeya Newspaper’s dailies, the Daily Mirror and Lankadeepa and also its weekend English issue, the Sunday Times and the Sinhala weekly Deshaya. Readers will be able to send in as much as coupons in favour of their favourite schoolboy cricketer until mid June.