[Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year]

Heavy voting in Observer-Mobitel school cricket contests

The winners of the Observer-Mobitel Most Popular Schoolboy Cricket All-Island and Outstation contests will be announced on July 13. There has been heavy voting during the past several weeks, breaking all records in the 30-year-old history of Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year contest, which began way back in 1979.

In unprecedented rounds of voting during the past several weeks, Josephian Ruwantha Fernandopulle takes a commanding lead a massive 84,785 votes. He has polled almost double the highest number of votes ever in the proud history of the contest.

With only a week away from the closing date, Fernandopulle who is well set to take the title. He enjoys a commanding lead of 46,946 votes over second-placed Naveen Kodikara of D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo.

Kodikara has aggregated 37,839 votes, ahead of Anandian Udara Peiris who is placed third with 33,524 votes.

The results of the penultimate week of voting will appear the Sunday Observer on July 6.

The last voting coupons would appear in the Daily News, Dinamina and Thinakaran on July 9 and in the Sunday Observer on July 6. Voting would conclude on July 10 at 12 noon. No late voting coupons would be entertained under any circumstances and the decision of the Organising Committee would be the final.

The Sunday Observer will announce the winners of the Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year All-Island and Outstation contests on July 13.

Meanwhile, the special selection panel, comprising members of the Sri Lanka Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association and the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association met at the Cinnamon Grand hotel on Wednesday to short list the prospective winners in each category.

Names of short listed Schoolboy cricketers and teams running for 32 different awards will be announced on July 13 but the winners would only be declared at the mega awards ceremony.

The much looked forward to 30th Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year awards Mega Show will be held at the BMICH on July 18 commencing from 6.30 p.m.

The Mega Show is hosted by the Sunday Observer in association with Sri Lanka Cricket, Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA) and Sri Lanka Cricket Umpires (SLCUSA) and Scorers Association and is sponsored by Mobitel, the smart option when it comes to mobile communication.

The first recipient of the prestigious Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year ward - Ranjan Madugalle, who the present ICC Chief Match Referee, will be the fitting chief guest as the contest marks its 30th anniversary.

A limited number of special entry passes for the 30th Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2008 will be issued to sports fans and Mobitel subscribers on a first-come-first-served basis.

Cricket enthusiasts and all those who support school cricket who wish to witness the Mega Show could make their requests through the special coupon.