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By Richard Dwight

Third year coloursman, Jeevan Mendis the Thomian Allrounder will treasure the moment that will surely be memorable - when last Saturday evening, he made his way amidst a representative gathering, to receive the prestigious award for the most promising schoolboy cricketer, from the British High Commissioner, Mr. Stephen Evans, at Westminster House, Colombo.

It was the fifth presentation of the award, which was inaugurated in 1998 by H.R.H. Prince Charles, to coincide with his visit to share in the celebrations of Sri Lanka's 50th anniversary of Independence.

On that occasion in 1998 the recipient was Pradeep Hewage from St. Benedict's College, followed by Thomian Upeka Fernando in 1999, in the year 2000 it was Malintha Gajanayake from D. S. Senanayake College and in the year 2001 it was Muthumudalige Pushpakumara from Ananda College.

S. Thomas' have produced two award winners, in Upeka Fernando and, now Jeevan Mendis in the year 2002.

The distinctive privilege of having coached both Upeka and Jeevan goes to Dinesh Kumarasinghe, with assistance coming from Kumar Boralessa and Owen Mottau. Not forgetting the much needed support given to Jeevan by Mercantile Shipping Ltd. The mild mannered, unassuming Jeevan Mendis, who is a talented left hand stylish top order batsman and an effective leg spin bowler, has done creditably well for S. Thomas', for the National Schools' side and the Sri Lanka 'A' team.

Apart from scoring consistently for his college, he had the distinction of registering a century and 60 runs in the traditional Big Match against Royal in 2001 and following it up this year with a fine 80 runs.

Jeevan toured Pakistan with the under-17 team in 1998 for the Asia Cup and was adjudged 'Man of the Series'.

He toured Pakistan again in 2001 as the vice captain of the schools' team and had an aggregate of over 300 runs in 5 matches - making as well a tour to Pakistan in the year 2002 with the Sri Lanka 'A' team.

But his crowning achievement was, when as vice captain of the Sri Lanka team for the under-19 World Cup this year at New Zealand, established a world record of taking seven wickets for 19 runs against Zimbabwe, doing as well with the bat in making 390 runs in just 6 matches.

All this both at the school and national level must have impressed the Sri Lanka Schools' Cricket Association to pick him as the most promising schoolboy cricketer of the year.

The British High Commissioner, Stephen Evans, speaking on the occasion said that since assuming office in August, he has observed that there is an enormous passion for cricket in this country, evidence of which is found everywhere you go and, soars with excitement and frenzy, when foreign teams play here.

Evans expressed his deep love for cricket and flirted with it in the Hampshire county and dreamt of playing for England, but it only remained a dream. Cricket here is well structured through the schools and impressionable, aspiring cricketers must make good use of them he felt.

He mentioned, that Sri Lanka cricket has come of age, since beating Australia sometime ago and the stiff clashes with England.

Evans said that Sri Lanka has a good side, but with time, members of the team will have to be replaced and, it is here that potential future players well trained from schools must emerge.

Whilst congratulating Jeevan, he said that he hoped some day seated at Lords, he would have the pleasure of seeing him, walk out to bat for Sri Lanka.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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