Lithija topples Vishal to take ‘Emerging’ domain

Navod Paranavithana of Mahinda College continues the domination of the All-island Schools while Lithija Kalhara of Ananda Maithree National School Balangoda races to gain the leadership of the Emerging Schools as the Dialog 4G-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2019 contest completes its 16th week. The sudden changes have occurred with the release of the online voting count, which will begin to add on to the tally from this weekend onwards.

The significant progress, however was recorded by Pasindu Ushetti of Maris Stella College Negombo, who moves to fourth from eighth in the All-island Schools, with the best intake of 1985, 20 votes better than Navod. Also gaining places are Yasitha Samararatne of Dharmaraja and Mihisal Vidanapathirana of St. Thomas’ Matara from the category.

Vishal Nagasena of St. Peter’s Gampaha, loses his grip in the Emerging Schools category as Lithija Kalhara made a giant leap by adding the best combined figures for the week, which is 2357. Vishal, however, would not give in that easily just as Tanusha Costa of Carey College.

Sathya Sadeepani of Devapathiraja College Rathgama continues to lead the Girls’ Schools category, which was introduced to the ever popular competition in the country last season. Sathya and her team mate Kaveesha Dilhari, who debuted last week at No.2, have made great progress in numbers to remain in the top two.

Coupons will be published in the Sunday Times, the two English dailies, the Daily Mirror and Dailyft, and the two Sinhala dailies, Daily Lankadeepa and Ada and Sinhala Weekend, Deshaya. From this year coupons will also come will out in the Tamilmirror.

In addition Dialog Axiata’s online voting system through their official Online Portal to vote for the Most Popular Cricketer (www.dialog.lk/cricket), is now alive.

Players who have represented their respective school in First XI cricket and with a tally of 400 or above runs or 25 wickets or above in the last season are automatically eligible for the Dialog 4G-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2019 competition. Schools have been categorised under three categories -- the All-island, Emerging and Girls schools, according to the segmentation process of Sri Lanka School Cricket Association.