Paranavithana makes quick progress

St. Sebastian's College, Moratuwa's Sukhitha Manoj, remains in the lead of the AllIsland Schools segment as the Dialog 4G-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2019 contest completes the tenth week.

While Manoj continues to lead the lot, Navod Paranavithana of Mahinda College Galle, appears to become a threat with his rapid advance. The difference between the two is 1013 and for now Manoj stays safe.

While Lakshitha Rasanjana of Nalanda College and Abhishek Ananda of Trinity College remain at fourth and fifth positions, Shehan Fernando of St. Benedict's College moves two slots up to fifth.

Vishal Rukshan of St. Peter's College Gampaha, continues to lead the Emerging Schools category. Thanusha Sandaruwan of St. John's College, Nugegoda loses the second place to Lithija Kalhara of Ananda Maithree NS Balangoda, causing one of the notable changes seen in the recent times.

Sathya Sandeepani of Devapathiraja College Rathgama continues to lead the Girls' Schools category. Until last week she only had Sithmi Nirasha of Anula Vidyalaya Nugegoda but from this week the category will have a third contender with Nimesha Tharuni of Marapola MV, Minuwangoda joining in.

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), will come alive from next week. Players of all categories, including those already in the fray through coupons, should register themselves following the link -- www.dialog.lk/cricket/register. The method to follow in the digital registration process has been made simple for schoolboys and schoolgirls. Already a good number of players have registered and their names will be published in weeks to come after necessary verification.

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 will be automatically eligible for the Dialog 4G-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2018 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.