Entries are rolling into Lake House office in support of their most popular cricketer’s names in it. Interestingly, entries have also been received with schoolgirl cricketers names in it. Results will be published from next week onwards and the names of leading cricketers will also be known to the readers.
What the voters should take note of is that the schoolboy cricket contest if for all three divisions while the schoolgirl contest is an all-island affair without any divisions for voting.
Last year’s Sunday Observer Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Hasitha Boyagoda was a cricketer of par excellence.
He was a record breaker in the National under-19 team and have won many trophies at many inter-school tournaments.
Boyagoda stormed into limelight when he hammered a world record innings of 191 against Kenya in the 2018 Youth World Cup in Christchurch, New Zealand. Prior to that epic feat he was discarded for the games against Pakistan and Afghanistan but Sri Lanka went on to beat Kenya and win the Plate trophy. He is the only Sri Lankan under-19 cricketers to score two centuries in a World Cup when he scored 191 against Kenya and 116 against the West Indies. Boyagoda also represented Sri Lanka U-19 team on tours to Australia in 2017 and South Africa in 2016 besides playing in the Asia Cup.
Boyagoda is one of Trinity’s most successful cricket captains and had the honour of being bestowed with the highest award on offer at Trinity College, the Ryd Gold Medal for the year 2017.
The medal is awarded each yeat to the best all-round schoolboy and he was also presented with a special cricket award and Sportsman of the Year title at the annual prize giving wich was held under the distinguished patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena. Boyagoda is the son of Consultant Physician Dr. Sanjaya Boyagoda who is an old boy of Dharmaraja College where he played junior cricket and later for Peradeniya University. His mother is Dr. Supipi Boyagoda, a consultant Paediatrician.
Hasitha also bowls off spin and has captained the under-13, 15 and 17 yeams while at the same time captaining the Central Province under-15 and 19 teams. In the 99th big match encounter against St. Anthony’s College in 2016, Boyagoda was the Best Batsman’s award and in the centenary match the following year he bagged the Man-of-the-Match award and this year he pocketed both the Best Batsman and Man-of-the-match awards against their arch rivals.
Boyagoda also walked away with the man-of-the-match award at last year’s one-dayer against the Antonians and at this year’s limited overs match converted both the Best batsman and Man-of-the-match trophies. He also became the first Trinitian to score a century against St. Anthony’s in a one dayer.
Already some schoolboy cricketers are making a name for themselves this season.
It is good to take note of such progress amongst the schools cricketers as it will help them enhance in their standard at junior national level.